Acting Tip: Record your lines for easy memorization.
Learning lines can be one of the toughest tasks for an actor. Think about it. An actor may be asked to learn an enormous about of lines. The actor may have to learn these lines in a very short time-period, with shooting or performance dates already set. The actor must learn these lines with great detail, given that many lines act as “cue lines”, signaling to the other actor that it is their turn to speak. And the actor must learn these lines while juggling other obligations, including simultaneously learning lines for another project.
Luckily, there are some easy ways to learn lines. One way is to try recording them. Use your phone or a tape recorder to record yourself saying the lines.
Benefit 1: More sensory use.
It’s a fact that humans retain more information when they use more of their senses. When we use our ears (auditory learning), eyes (visual learning) or physical engagement (kinesthetic learning), we tend to learn faster and retain information longer.The physical act of recording lines, and subsequently listening to the recording, uses more of the actor’s senses and improves memory.
Benefit 2: Repetition
Recording your lines and playing them back often, allows you to learn by increasing the repetition at which you hear them. We all know that the more times you hear something, the more it sticks in your head. Think of how easy it is to learn the lyrics of a song, once you’ve heard it many times. Recording lines and playing them back, as if they were a song, works the same way.
Benefit 3: Convenience
Once your lines are recorded, you can listen to them anywhere, anytime and anyplace. For instance, you can listen to your lines while driving, while meditating, while taking a shower or even as you sleep. Learning while napping: what a concept!
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