Learning your lines
Leonardo DiCaprio
When asked Leonardo DiCaprio what practical advice he would give actors, he answered:
«(…) and I always talk about preparation. Go to acting class; learn the fundamentals. Then go to L.A., where all the auditions are. Those are the first two things. And the third thing is, know your damn lines. Know your lines inside and out, to the point at which they become secondhand. (…) And the ability to play around comes with being prepared and knowing who your character is and what they're going to say. Then you can improv and do other things, because you have the roots and you can create the branches and leaves. But you have to know the fundamentals, and the most important fundamental is: Know what you're going to say.»[1]
Self-discipline is required for learning your lines. It is not enough just to be able to reproduce the text in a similar way - this is an offense to the author, who has thought about how he/she wants to express something with every word.
Often, as an actor you feel like this: You have read the text at home several times, learned your lines in your mind by covering them on the script. It feels like the text is right there. But as soon as you are in a scene in interaction with your partner, the memorized lines seem to have disappeared (blackouts). Especially the blocking, placement and movements of the actors on the stage or film set, can make it even more difficult during the first rehearsals.
Tips for learning your lines:
Remember, only when you have internalized your lines you can really deal with the other acting tools and authentically embody your role.
[1] www.backstage.com, Interview „Leonardo DiCaprio on Embodying J. Edgar Hoover“
«(…) and I always talk about preparation. Go to acting class; learn the fundamentals. Then go to L.A., where all the auditions are. Those are the first two things. And the third thing is, know your damn lines. Know your lines inside and out, to the point at which they become secondhand. (…) And the ability to play around comes with being prepared and knowing who your character is and what they're going to say. Then you can improv and do other things, because you have the roots and you can create the branches and leaves. But you have to know the fundamentals, and the most important fundamental is: Know what you're going to say.»[1]
Self-discipline is required for learning your lines. It is not enough just to be able to reproduce the text in a similar way - this is an offense to the author, who has thought about how he/she wants to express something with every word.
Often, as an actor you feel like this: You have read the text at home several times, learned your lines in your mind by covering them on the script. It feels like the text is right there. But as soon as you are in a scene in interaction with your partner, the memorized lines seem to have disappeared (blackouts). Especially the blocking, placement and movements of the actors on the stage or film set, can make it even more difficult during the first rehearsals.
Tips for learning your lines:
- Read the text whenever you can. Download the text to your mobile phone and read it on the go - if possible, speak it out loud or at least whisper your lines.
- Note that you don't put too much meaning and emphasis into the text before the first rehearsal. Otherwise you might have difficulties, for example, because the director wants you to say the line differently.
- Learn with a mate who speaks the other characters. In addition or if this is not possible, speak all the text into your mobile phone, the part of the other characters loudly, whispering your own text. Play it again and again, whether you are jogging, in the car etc. and speak your text out loud (if you don't have a clue, the whispered version of your text will help you). There is also an app for text learning for iOS and Android: LineLearner ($3.99 / there is also a free version for iOS LineLearner Lite for testing with max. 10 lines of text)
- If you've already had rehearsals and the blocking is known, speak your lines out loud with the corresponding movements.
- It can also help you to make your text handwritten by yourself, so that the perception of movement and reading will involve more senses.
Remember, only when you have internalized your lines you can really deal with the other acting tools and authentically embody your role.
[1] www.backstage.com, Interview „Leonardo DiCaprio on Embodying J. Edgar Hoover“