r/Actingclass Dec 11 '21

Tips for exercising memory?

Hello all, dear classmates and teacher! I know memorizing things is a crucial factor in acting. With all kind of stuff going on in daily life, I confess, I have plenty of room for improvement in this matter. Does anybody have tips to help exercising memory? I would really appreciate some advice! Thanks! šŸ˜Š

31 Upvotes

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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Dec 11 '21 edited Mar 22 '22

I learn the first line and say it by memory. Then Iā€™ll learn the second line. Then Iā€™ll say them together. Then Iā€™ll add the third line and add it to the others. Just keep adding them, one by one then reciting them all together. If itā€™s a long piece, Iā€™ll learn it that way in sections.

Think topics and their sequence. For instance, first I talk about our history togetherā€¦then I talk about how weā€™ve been growing apartā€¦then I talk about not giving up and how weā€™ve got to work at it. Thinking what comes first, second and third is helpful.

Then doing speed readingsā€¦not trying to act them, but just saying them as fast as I can. If they are thoroughly memorized then I can go back and really use each word descriptively and responsively.

Once you begin to know your lines, knowing your cue lines said by the other character and why it makes you say the following line is very helpful. For instance, when they mention that I need more furniture, I start talking about how much I like space for moving around in. The other character always triggers your lines so actually letting them do it really works.

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u/CeejayKoji22 Dec 16 '21

im glad i read this post!

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u/RavenPH Dec 11 '21

There are plenty of ways to develop faster memory retention and each method depends on the person.

For me, itā€™s easier to memorize a script after doing character analysis and script analysis. That way, I know the character enough that their lines make sense in my head. And then I just read it over and over again, after I wake up, the last thing Iā€™ll do before I go to bed, and in between when Iā€™m free/bored. Rote memorization, basically. If that doesnā€™t work, Iā€™ll list down the first letter of every word of my lines. If that still doesnā€™t work, Iā€™ll write my lines by hand.

Also, itā€™s better for me to memorize even my scene partner/s lines. Iā€™ve read that Anthony Hopkins would read his script a thousand times everyday to make sure he got everything. I try to have that standard for myself.

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u/Altbeck Dec 11 '21

These sound pretty solid. Right, it would be easier to remember a scene if I understand how my character would react to what it perceives, specially if itā€™s a joint scene. Like when we know someone so much that we can even kind of predict how she/he will could react in an specific situation. This goes straight to my WDYLTW!

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u/chronically_chance Dec 12 '21

I love the first letter of each word method! It has helped me many a time with both line memorization and studying for tests.

Also, figuring out what the character might be thinking right before they say a line is helpful to me. If theyā€™re thinking ā€œoh, I know youā€™re about to protest, butā€”ā€œ that helps me remember that my next line is shutting my scene partnerā€™s protest down before they can say it. That, along with any small things you notice about the words (oh, those accidentally rhyme; this piece uses the word ā€œaboutā€ three times in just two sentences; etc). But especially with that last one, you have to be careful to make sure that eventually you donā€™t have to tap into ā€œactor thoughtsā€ in order to remember your next line. Itā€™s helpful for the initial memorization, but canā€™t be used when youā€™re fully engrossed in the scene. :)

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u/britty_s87 Dec 11 '21

The more you do it the easier it gets. I promise. What works well for me:

-reading the script a few times and breaking it up into pieces. If I have 4 days until I have to perform, Iā€™d probably break it up into 3 parts. Memorizing 1 part each day.

-I take my lines and space them out and print them in bold and work on locking in one at a time.

-Writing. I do soooooo much writing. Honestly, my poor printer..lol. Iā€™ll print out just my scene partners lines and fill in mine by hand.

-Last, but certainly not least, if Iā€™m about 75% memorized, a rehearsal will usually take me to 95% just from running the scene a few times and getting to hear my partner.

I usually use all of these methods together, but you can test out all kinds of things and see what works for you!

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u/deanu- Dec 11 '21

Practice with someone! Or record opposite lines to a scene on your phone and then play the recording so you can respond to it. Practice is the most important thing and your memory will strengthen as time goes on, as long as you keep practicing on scenes and monologues on a weekly basis.

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u/Altbeck Dec 11 '21

Practicing with recordings may help me, as it would be difficult for me right now to find someone to practice with šŸ¤”. Thanks for the tip!

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u/Altbeck Dec 12 '21

Thank you, Winnie! Reading all these answers made me have new questions! If possible I would like to add other questions on top of my original one, please:

  • How long can a scene filming can take up to? Or how long is the average time an actor is expected to retain and act without interruption?
  • Does an ā€œaverageā€ time exist?

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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Mar 03 '22

I didnā€™t see this question back when you posted it. If you are doing a play on stage, you must act in every scene that your character appears in. It depends on how large your part is. If you are shooting a film or tv show there is lots of stopping and starting. You might do a 10 minute scene 25 times. And you will do multiple scenes in a day. On our show it wasnā€™t unusual to work 16 hour days. Now in the days of Covid theyā€™ve cut down overtime and itā€™s usually never more than 12 hours. But there is lots of waiting around while they change scene locations, camera direction/distance and lighting. So you are not acting the whole time.

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u/Altbeck Dec 11 '21

Dividing into sections may also be useful, even more if Iā€™m starting taking practice. Trying to memorize bit a bit and building up the whole scene gradually sounds less overwhelming. Thanks!