“How the heck am I going to memorize my lines for this audition?!”
If you’re an actor, chances are you’ve had this panicked thought, more than once.
“I’ve been offered a spot to give a Ted Talk. I’m scared that I’ll forget what I’m going to say once I get on the stage.” If you’re a public speaker (or entrepreneur, lawyer, teacher, etc.) chances are you’ve had a similar fear.
Josh made a straight-to-the-point video for you on his memorization process. This process works for any audition, movie, TV show, play, or Ted Talk.
We’d love to hear from YOU now!
What’s an acting or presenting question you’ve always wanted an answer to?
Let us know in the comments below.
Thank you for explaining your process, Jon. I have a similar process. I am finding that I have to get over a lot of anxiety while I am getting the lines down. Any suggestions for releasing the anxiety?
Hi Roxanne
I have written a lot about Anxiety in other blogs, and also dive deep into it in the online program. But in short, don’t try to release the physical experience of anxiety – that’ll just connect you with thoughts that won’t be supportive to your creativity. Instead use the fierce power of the energy of Anxiety as creative fuel. It’s just a matter of practice, and a radical shift will happen. We need to increase our tolerance for our body sensations instead of trying to release away from our body sensations if we want to stay present and do our best work.
This is dynamite info. I just got a 7 pages of sides and I was like holy good night. Any memorization tips help. Actually, all your info helps. On another note, please make another film Josh. 7th Street was just so damn good especially that I’m a NativeNYer too I felt every nuance. Thank you again. And enjoy the sunshine today too.
I’m happy this is helpful, Annie. And thank you for the encouragement to make another film. I am moving towards that these days.
Good stuff. I find also that using a tape recorder really helps me learn even faster. Record the other character’s lines and leave space for mine. I learned Oleanna (understudied it in NYC prod) that way in 2 weeks…and Mamet is even tougher to memorize.
Hey Ken
Yes. I do that as well. Wish I had included it. Thanks for the reminder!
Also, there is an app that is great for this called Rehearsal Pro that I use.
Thanks for the great add!
Best
Josh
Thank you- VERY WONDERFUL insight…to learning and keeping present- not a robot spitting-out lines!!! (Love your “technique helpful learning tips”)… Much enjoyment!- Lynn Fostine
Good Good.
Thanks for being a part of CI.
Have an awesome day!
Josh
Oh, this threw me right into the performing mode, Josh, I miss your workshops SO much!!
My other thing that I used to do to challenge my brain was to say my lines while walking my dog. I don’t have my dog anymore – she served me as a rehearsal partner for 14 years 🙂 – but she was very unpredictable, so she would force me to be in the moment while running my lines.
Break legs everyone!!
xoxo
Hey Llyane!
Miss working with you as well.
But there is great stuff happening in the zoom classes – surprisingly powerful, FYI.
And awww – doggie.
YES – they are good at listening, and always truthful, and spontaneous.
Have a great day!
Josh
Really appreciated your great explanation and sharing your process. It helped get some heavy self-doubt out of the way about what my gut instinct’s been telling me to do! I also like the idea of giving it some processing time and coming back to it, and repeat til it sinks in (playing with accents and activities to stimulate and coax the memorizing along). I can see the value in building – opening space in oneself – to create the story organically and the words along with it. “Layer the lines in and let it come out like jazz…” Thank you for this! 🙏Gunna watch this a few more times 😊 (and thanks for the reply to anxiety in this string of comments – and YES, make more movies, you are a joy to see on screen!)
Yea, Mary.
Allow for that processing time.
The brain works in mysterious ways.
Rock on
Josh
Thank you so much! I literally thought I was the only actor who was terrified of learning text and I didn’t dare tell anyone (this is me sharing it for the first time in my life) because I felt like a fraud. What helped me was taking my attention of it and so my journey with Marie(TV) Forleo and B-School (payed it with my first leading role in an independent feature film) began. Today I’m not terrified anymore and I have found several methods that I use to help me embody the text. Since I started working with your life changing and freeing CI online program. I have been able to find even joy in auditioning. YES 🙂 Thank you Josh for sharing your amazing and I would say healing talent with the world. Eva O.
Eva
Congrats.
Sounds like you are in a terrific place.
Keep exploring and nurturing your creativity.
Hope to see you in a live class one of these days.
Keep going!
Josh