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We spend many blog posts here at Advice to the Players talking about memory. A good memory can help an actor immensely. Whether it be a monologue for an audition or memorizing lines for a performance, memory plays a major role in a successful acting career.
Today I want to mention a technique used by some actors to help them memorize. They simply hand write out the lines they are trying to memorize. Not a sophisticated method, in fact it is very low tech and simple, but many actors swear by this method.There seems to be a great connection between the physical act of writing out a part and memorizing it. Perhaps it is because we need extra concentration as we write, or because it requires multiple paths of your brain being used (sight, tactile).
No special equipment is needed, and your penmanship doesn't seem to make any difference. So try writing out the piece you are working on by hand. No typing please, handwriting seems to work best in the process. It also slows you down to concentrate on the work, and perhaps you will discover something in the line as you write it that you have not considered before.
The Actors Sensei
Coaching in acting and speech for all ages, all media.
This is an interesting technique, though not one that I have ever tried. My nephew swears by it. I have developed an iPhone application called Scene Partner that uses audial learning techniques to help actors learn their lines but I have considered adding the write it out feature in future versions. You can find it at www.scenepartnerapp.com. I would love to get your opinion about it. Thanks!
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