How do you work through making vulnerable and emotional scenes authentic?

[Dija Henry]

I was just wondering about some acting techniques or methods one uses to make certain scenes vulnerable and authentic? I have not personally endured the situation my character has and need to portray a very vulnerable scene. I want it to be authentic and honest. Any suggestions?

[Alexander Villarreal]

Maybe someone in your life has endured a similar situation.I would try to find someone and ask them how they felt. Then study their verbal and nonverbal behavior as they tell you their situation. People love to share their life stories. Depending on the situation with someone safe you could reenact the character. If the character has been isolated,try to isolate yourself ect....hungry try not to eat for one day ect... Similar to method acting.

[Jonathan Burrello]

I was taught to endow the character/situation with something you personally experienced or felt (or maybe an individual) and project into the fictitious scenario. Naturally we all haven't experienced everything we are going to be called upon to portray, but if there is something similar in your life that can help you relate to the performance. If the character is completely foreign and you don't have anything to compare it to, consider how you personally react in the situation (just yourself, no acting). Sometimes "you" are enough, because you are real.

[Dija Henry]

Thanks soo much for your help! I think I can actually use both suggestions. But I don't know if this situation is something I can ask someone to share their story easily because it's a character who was raped repeatedly by her step father starting at age 6. her physically and verbally abusive mother died of drug overdose when she was still little. I know friends who have endured parts of these experiences but this is very extreme. maybe I can spend some time building layers from all of these stories. I appreciate what jonathan said that Sometimes "you" are enough becuase either way you slice it-I have to portray the character and it has to be natural and real.

[Dija Henry]

I ended up doing some research on the internet about rape victims and very quickly stories of conga, africa came up. I spent alot of last night in tears at the stories the women were telling. The men are raping babies as small as 9 months now! I really think you have to be demon possessed to do something like that. I feel like I got a glimpse into the hearts of these women. only Christ can bring healing and forgiveness in this situation. I cannot begin to imagine the hell these women go through. I just read 23 minutes in hell by Bill wiese and realized that if these women and children can hear the good news of Jesus-it will be the ONLY hell they have to go through. needless to say I got the information I needed for the role and much more than that. God help us-help them. I forgot to mention that the best thing I can do is pray. I'm an actor and also a christian and I do have a Father who created all things, that I can ask help me portray this role in such a way that it glorifies Him and reaches some girl out there who is suffering. Maybe that should go into the "what does it mean to be a christian actor discussion"? :)
I blogged about this some more at www.ministryavenue.com/creativemother