Why This Guide Matters  #

Actors tend to worry a lot about intimate scenes. They find them daunting, and it's easy to ruin what should be a professional and enjoyable experience by overthinking it beforehand.

But here's what we want you to know: when you're well prepared and approach intimate scenes the right way, they can be some of the most rewarding work you'll do. They can really showcase your skills as an actor.

Think about the difference intimate scenes made to films like Brokeback Mountain, Call Me By Your Name, or Portrait of a Lady on Fire. These weren't gratuitous additions, they were essential storytelling that helped make these films unforgettable classics.

This guide covers the practical side of intimate work, from safety concerns highlighted by the #MeToo movement to the nuts and bolts of filming. We'll help you spot dodgy auditions, avoid uncomfortable situations, and master the tricky art of keeping your character separate from yourself during filming.

Most importantly, we'll help you make the most of these scenes to make them realistic, believable, and memorable.

What We're Talking About #

Before we go further, let's be clear about what we mean by intimate scenes.

We use this as a catch-all term covering: flirting, romantic relationships between characters, kissing (from innocent to passionate), touching and caressing, partial or full nudity, simulated sex acts, and everything in between.

So an intimate scene here can mean a lot of different things and cover plenty of ground.

One important point before we go on: this guide is NOT about adult films. For most actors, there's a big difference between that industry and mainstream work. We're talking about films and TV shows that tell stories which happen to include intimate moments — not productions that are primarily about sex.

Who's Giving You This Advice? #

This guide comes from the enCAST team, plus many other actors and film professionals who've shared their experiences with us.

Between us, we have many years of experience both in front of and behind the camera. We've been involved in intimate scenes of all kinds, and we're speaking from real experience — including our mistakes and what we learned from them.

And What Kind of Advice? #

In this guide we will focus on practical information you can actually use the next time you're preparing for an intimate scene. This covers everything from checking casting notices to rehearsing and shooting.

We'll address the real concerns actors have:

• What if my scene partner's breath smells?
• Will I get an erection?
• How can I relax before the shoot?
• What will my family think when they see it?
• What do I do if things go too far?

Contents #

1. Title Page
2. Introduction (this page)
3. Boundaries (what you're prepared to do)
4. Reading Casting Notices
5. What Happens at Auditions
6. After You Get the Role
7. Working with Intimacy Coordinators
8. Planning and Choreography
9. Rehearsing Safely
10. Closed Sets and Privacy
11. Filming the Scene
12. Nudity and Covering Up
13. What Filming Day Is Really Like
14. When Your Body Reacts
15. Emotion vs Action
16. Keeping Work and Personal Separate
17. Real Stories from the Set
18. Building Your Career
19. Special Considerations
20. Final Words

That's a lot. But if something isn't covered here, or you need more advice, please do get in touch. We genuinely love hearing from actors, and your feedback will be used to make this guide better.