Learning lines?
Mon, 18 May 2009, 01:12 pmLee Sheppard26 posts in thread
Learning lines?
Mon, 18 May 2009, 01:12 pmSo - I find myself in the current situation of having to learn a large number of lines for an upcoming production, something I haven't had to do for a few years now.
I suppose I'm doing it the usual way (for me, at least) - reading and re-reading, starting at the beginning and learning a few pages at a time, going back and constantly testing myself, sitting at home or on the train with the script and a bookmark to cover up my lines etc. Seems to be working so far.
Just wondering how you other thespians go about learning your lines? Do you learn key scenes first? Use voice recorders? Have them tattooed on your body? Maybe there's a technique out there we can all benefit from...
Cheers
Lee Sheppard
- Keeping it strictly amateur -
beware the pre-recordining...
Mon, 18 May 2009, 10:37 pmAlthough pre-recording your lines can be a useful technique, it has it's drawbacks. Sometimes when you do know your lines, you can end up sounding a bit sing songy, you end up saying your lines exactly the same way, every single time. I'm a big believer that you need to start straight away with the repetition, reading on the train etc. Get books down as early as possible. The sooner you know your lines then you can stop thinking about what you are supposed to be saying next, and actually, feeling, reacting, and entering into your characters thought processes.