Do you need help memorizing your lines? Try using the “Memory Palace” technique to memorize lines for your next audition, TV show, and feature film.
The people who are able to memorize a large set of numbers, a shuffled deck of cards, or tons of dialogue, have normal brains just like you and me.
But, what makes those individuals different is the techniques they use to memorize information.
Make a mental picture and build a mental palace
Many feature films have pages upon pages of dialogue. Not to mention five minute monologues. Often times this is extremely stressful and hard to recall all the information.
But, here are two steps to helping you remembering all of the lines of dialogue.
- Turn abstract, boring things that you would not normally remember into something that you can really recall and more visual.
- Find a place to store your mental images ie, your “memory palace“.
Consider your memory palace as a mental image of your home. There’s a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedrooms. Each piece of information that you are trying to memorize is created into a mental image, and then placed into your home. The more images, the bigger your home gets.
For instance, if you have dialogue between you and another character. Break up parts of the script into mental images, and feelings. Then envision those mental images inside a house. As you continue through your script, continue to add mental images inside the your memory palace.
When you need to recall your lines simply go back to your mental palace, and re envision those mental images as parts of the palace.
This will help you recall tons of lines, dialogue, and boring information that you would not normally be able to.
Joshua Foer gives an amazing example of how to use the “memory palace” technique:
This technique can be used in more than just acting. It can help you memorize telephone numbers, names, and other information that is normally boring, or difficult to recall.
Overall: The key is to make your images the most outrageous images you can think of. The more outrageous, the better.
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