Back to the Kissing Again

Amazing! We are approaching the three year anniversary of my "Kiss Is Still a Kiss" post, and I am still getting comments and questions about it! A popular topic indeed.

It deserves it's own post, as a comment on the original post might not get noticed.

It is also, once again, from an Anonymous person, so I cannot contact them directly to let them know I got their comments. So, if you are out there, Anonymous, I hope you are reading this.

The question this time is, how does one get past not just a stage kiss, but a scene requiring a full on "make out session".

My answer to this, for anyone who would like to know, is not unlike my answer for a simple kiss...practice it as early and often as possible.

It is very natural to feel that a "make out" scene would be more difficult to get passed than a kiss. And on the surface perhaps it would be. But let's stop and think about it on it's most basic level. It's another scene. Nothing more.

At least it should be. Granted there are added difficulties at first, but address them as you would any other difficult scene. Do so by setting a goal for the scene as early as possible, and practicing it as early as possible.

If your director does not have any particular ideas, you and your scene partner MUST approach the director privately, and ask him/her to work out the specific moves of the make out scene. The worst thing you can do is to wing a scene like that. This is no place for improvising. That just puts pressure on the actors to make it look "good". That will increase the awkwardness.

Like any scene, it must be mapped out. A hand goes here. Then this area is kissed. After that, a leg moves to this position.

This is vital is making it less awkward, because it then becomes clinical. Nothing will make the initial jitters go away, but if approached like a dance, mapped out and practiced (without oggling eyes at first), it will begin to feel more like any other part of your performance; something that you practice in order to get comfortable with. Run it into the ground. It will eventually bore you more than scare you.

When that happens, and you and your scene partner are comfortable with it, begin to do it in front of a few other people before rehearsal. Just so you can get used to the idea of doing this very well rehearsed dance in front of others. Again, there will be some awkwardness when you first do it for others, but by now you have the moves in your mind, and you know what your objective is. Just concentrate on making that believable, and doing what you have worked on, and the awkwardness WILL fade.

Don't put it off. Don't make excuses. If you are reading this, Anonymous, talk to your partner and director during your very next rehearsal. It will NOT get easier the longer you wait. It will in fact get harder. But with a plan, and practice, you will be able to do this.

And do not leave me in suspense...keep me updated on how it is going!