How to Memorize Your Lines Fast: 7 Easy Tips for Actors
By: Eddie Ramos | March 31, 2021 10:00 PM
7 easy tips for actors to memorize your lines fast. Never worry again about not having enough time to memorize your lines for an audition.
A common pain for actors that I hear all the time is “I have a hard time memorizing my lines.” Whether you want to memorize big chunks of text, ten pages of sides, or a monologue, here are 7 easy tips for actors to memorize your lines fast. I use these to turn my brain into a steel trap.
Read More: How Do You Memorize A Script In One Night?
7 Easy Tips To Memorize Your Lines Fast
1. Ditch Your Phone
In today’s world, everything can be done from your phone or computer. You can access your script and research everyone on the cast and crew with the click of a button. You can set reminders, video chat with your mom, check the stock market, upload a picture to Instagram—you catch my drift. Our devices are very distracting. If you’re attempting to use them to memorize your lines, chances are you’ll find something else to do. Studies show that smartphones can decrease our cognitive capacity thereby limiting our ability to complete tasks at hand. Set your phone aside and print out your sides or text.
2. Pen To Paper
We all have our own social missions and most of us are environmentally conscious to some extent (I despise people who litter!) But researchers at the Norwegian Center for Learning Environment and Behavioral Research in Education have proven that writing by hand activates different parts of your brain in a more detailed way than typing on a keyboard. So writing your lines down on the back of your sides or in a notebook helps you successfully input that information into your memory. Recycle, take shorter showers, but do print out your sides.
3. Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk
I’ve written previously about the benefits of “running your lines.” At this point, scientists all agree that exercise does wonders for your mind and body, including your memory. In a study done in 2018, researchers took 24 people ranging from 18 to 35 and had them memorize as many words as possible from a list of 15 words while standing still. Then, they had the group walk on a treadmill and memorize another list of words. You guessed it, the participants were able to memorize more words when they were walking. This is a non-negotiable for me. Taking your printed sides or monologue outside and repeating your lines as you walk in your neighborhood just works. Now you’ll probably scare some of your neighbors so use the “actor hat” to let them know you haven’t lost your mind.
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4. Repetition
No, I don’t mean the Miesner game although I’m sure that factors into this somehow. Repeating your lines over and over creates strong chemical interactions in which neurons connect to other neurons. Repetition generates deep-seated learning. The way I go over my lines is by reading the material persistently. I start at the top of the script and with one hand I’ll cover my line. I then read the other character’s preceding line and attempt to recite my line without any mistakes. If I can say it perfectly, then I get to move forward. If I don’t remember my line, it’s back to the top we go. You can also do this with a monologue, line by line until you’ve memorized the entire piece.
These are the only methods you’ll need and they’ve helped me increase my memorization rate to about 6 pages in 20 minutes. If you’re looking for other methods here’s what else I do to keep my memory sharp and for overall mental wellness.
5. Sleep On It 😴
I’ve also written about this topic before. Our brains go through numerous systems while we sleep. The memories stored in the hippocampus becomes locked in and allow you to recall this information the next day. If you’ve gone to high school or college you know that “all-nighters” is the attempt to get work done into the late hours of the night. You also know that you’re so tired the next day, it doesn’t even matter what you studied because you can barely keep your eyes open. This is not a good way to audition. Sleep is your number one ally for longevity in this career.
If you find yourself attempting to memorize lines after midnight— I suggest you sleep, wake up early and utilize the methods above. The results are night and day.
6. Supplements
Read This: 10 Powerful Habits That Will Help You Become A Better Actor In 2022
Certain vitamins and fatty acids have said to delay or prevent memory loss. The list includes B12 and Vitamin E, however, tests are inconclusive as to the efficacy of these claims and there’s no evidence that higher intake has positive effects. Personally, I do take a men’s multivitamin daily for overall health and wellness, (these vitamins are included) but I also make sure to get these vitamins in the food I eat as well. B12 can be found naturally in fish and poultry. Vitamin E which studies have shown to help people with mild Alzehimer’s can be found in nuts, seeds, vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. The key here is to diversify your diet so you’re maintaining a healthy flow of nutrients to keep your mind and body operating at a high level.
Watch: How To Memorize A Script In One Night
7. Don’t Fixate On The Lines
Ever wonder how you memorize your favorite songs? I doubt you print the lyrics and tried to remember them line by line. When you listen to music, you are connecting the words to images, emotions, and your five senses. For example, you may know the lyrics to “Hello” by Adele because you were crying over an ex, in your bedroom with a french vanilla candle burning in the background. Then you heard it again on the radio twenty more times. It’s the same with your learning your lines.
Yes, it is important to know your lines well. However, you’re not in the business of reciting lines verbatim. I want you to change your perspective on memorization. The most advanced actors know that personalizing the text goes a lot further and casting is looking for that more than anything else. Can you make the script your own? You do this by taking ownership of the words you’re saying. So naturally, you may add a few “ums” here and there. This actually makes the audition seem more authentic. But be wary of overdoing it and know that improv is not always received well, especially for multi-cam sitcoms. Use your best judgment on when to veer off-script. An acting coach I work with in New York, always reminds me that an actor is not hired based on their ability to know their lines perfectly. So give yourself a break.
To further emphasize this point, watch Aaron Paul’s legendary audition for Breaking Bad as he drops his lines and still manages to crush it.
Watch More: 5 New Documentaries Every Actor Needs To Watch
How do you memorize your lines? Comment below with your best tips and strategies!