Acting Tips: How do I get more vulnerable?

IntentionalActing July 20, 2026 2:14 Auditions Self Tape

A note nobody knows what to do with, and the specific question that turns it into something actionable.

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5 Things Actors Should Know About Getting More Vulnerable

Drawn from what is actually said on camera, so you can decide whether to spend the 2:14 watching it.

Be more vulnerable is a note with no instruction in it

He got it himself and hated it, because there was nothing to actually do. That is the problem worth naming: the note describes a result the watcher wants, and hands you no process for producing it.

Episodic memory is one specific moment, not a category

The difference between knowing what a concert is and remembering your first concert. The second one arrives with context, detail and emotion attached, and that is the material a scene can actually use.

Most actors stay at the surface of the scene

The scene is understood, and nothing personal is attached to it. Hooking a specific episode from your own life onto it is what makes the difference between comprehending a moment and being in one.

Ask how you relate to the character

Or, where you cannot, what it would be like. The question does something particular: it stops you judging the person you are playing and builds compassion for them instead, which is the precondition for anything vulnerable.

It changes how the scene is stored

Your brain files it as a moment in a life rather than as a sequence of words. So the same question that opens the emotion also makes the material easier to hold, which is the recurring argument across this method.

Acting Craft is built by Web For Actors, who also wrote the 85 things casting directors and coaches say about auditions, which draws on videos like this one.

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Full transcript (303 words)

[music] - Have you ever been told that your scenes need to be more vulnerable? I have. Hated it because I didn't know what to do. How do you get more vulnerable? The answer is this. You need to ask [music] the specific question that will activate your episodic memory. Now, episodic memory is [music] a personal moment, episode [clears throat] from your life that's embedded with - [music] - context and emotion and detail. It's the difference between [music] a concert, knowing what a concert is, and remembering your first concert. Now, a lot of actors get stuck at the surface level of the scene. But when they attach a specific episode from their life to the scene, it gets personal. It's easier to activate those vulnerable [music] moments and the emotion, and it's easier to remember the scene. That's why question number two of the nine [music] questions of intentional acting is so powerful. Question number two, how do I relate to my character in the scene or what would it be like? Helps you to stop judging your character. Builds compassion, connection, [music] and understanding for your character. And that's what allows it to be more personal, emotional, and easier to remember. Because your brain will store your scene as a moment in your life - [music] - or a moment in the character's life instead of remembering a bunch of words. So, if you need to go deeper in your scenes, if you want to connect more to your character or you're finding yourself not connecting to your character, then ask question number two. How do I relate to my character [music] in the scene or what would it be like? If you'd like to know more about question number two, you can buy the book and follow me.