April 29, 2005
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Slicin’ it Up
A few days ago I finally received the advanced schedule that shows the days and scenes I’ll be working on “Hatchet” in the upcoming weeks. Personally, this is when I can really start working on memorizing my lines.
From my past experiences, I’ve discovered it’s a poor use of my energy trying to
memorize the entire script from beginning to end. Each scene in a shooting script is numbered. In the schedule I just received, it reveals what scenes will be shot on which day and which actors will be needed for that particular scene.
The way I like to work is: Have a good general understanding of the material and make all my character choices ahead of time. Then I work towards being “off book” (lines memorized) 1-2 days before each scene. Without knowing which scene is coming up and when – memorizing everything is just a bit daunting.
I remember on my first movie, I had no clue about the advance schedule and basically came into work having the entire script down pat. Or so I thought.
And as Murphy’s Law would have it, the first day of shooting had my character giving a tour of a house and spewing out a 2-page monologue accompanied with lots of blocking (staging) pointing out “this and that” of the house. Needless to say, the pressure
along with the other 50 pages of needless dialogue (at the time) I had crammed into my head — affected that first day performance-wise. Had I known about the advanced scheduled and saw which scenes were coming up… I would’ve focused more on that 2-page monologue the night before.
I’d compare the process to a Thanksgiving Turkey… you wouldn’t eat the entire thing in one sitting, right? You’ve gotta slice it up and slowly digest it – one piece at a time. No different here… unless you’re lucky enough to have a photographic memory.
Comments (18)
true true..
That’s what I like about movie-making. Unlike plays and musicals that I’ve been in, you don’t need to memorize the entire thing, just hte portion tha tneeds to be filmed. Best of Luck! <3 Nancy
I gotta agree with Nancy… It’s true… when you’re in a play or musical, you need to know all the scence and all the lines for all of them and it can be hard, but it is really fun and great. Anyway, good luck with this next movie… You’ll do great.
- DJ 6r0k3n -
Great advise.
great time management! I would NEVER be able to memorize 50 pages of script. >.<
more Avery pics
propz’
i have a question: is there a particular technique, and/or class that could be taken, to help an actor with memorizing lines?? i’ve just begun taking actor’s training, and am already having a hard time memorizing my small scenes. my coach tells me i have the emotions, and objectives down. i just have a terrible time with short term memory, and thus memorizing lines. am i doomed? should i not have chosen this industry? i’ve been loving my training, and have always loooved the dramatic arts. i cannot see myself not “trying”, and doing this, but what am i to do about my memory skills? i hear some peeps take pills, like adderall or ritalin, what do you suggest??? if you could e-mail me, i’d greatly appreciate your input. –deliverasou@yahoo.com
Hatchet…what is that about?
i saw you at the VC filmfest’s opening night the on thursday!! out of curiosity, do you find it annoying or flattering when a random stranger comes up to you and asks to take a picture/sign an autograph?
what’s the status on Tru Calling? there r more to come…… right?
Hey Parry… I remember you from Villanova when i was a freshman. You subbed Mr. Diel’s class once and you borrowed my pencil and show us a poster of “The new guy.” Anyways I love the movie “Better luck tomorrow” I showed it to one of my friends two nights ago and they dont understand why you beat the crap out of that guy with the baseball bat haha. That was an awesome movie, i enjoyed it and so did everyone i showed it to. Hope you get more principal roles. I use to act and the biggest thing i got was being murdered on CSI : / haha. Atleast i got my own trailer and such.
Good luck with the acting
-Chris
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/02/tv.asianrepresentation.ap/index.html
I think if I was given a decent role in high school and long enough time to study my script, I should be able to use my photographic memory
Too bad everybody took a pass at my talent.
hey! i jus saw ur movie better luck tomorrow . . . man that stripper was ugly . . . i’m sorry . . .
AHS ESL wishes you the best of luck in your future endeavors. AHS ESL eats his Thanksgiving dinner all at once.
Ah yes, preparing for the right thing is important… I had an acting class for which I was supposed to find a monolog. So I thought, well, wouldn’t it be even better if I was off book and a little more prepared by the time class started in order to maximize my learning time? So I prepared… Anyways, it turned out that my teacher wanted to practice cold reading! (So I picked another monologue on the spur of the moment from one of his books).
I saw you in Passages last night @ VC filmfest! haha you look good as a groom. =P