How Do Actors Learn All Their Lines?

They do make it look easy don't they. I think it comes easier for some people than others, but most people can learn lines with a little practice. I did a screen test for an agency last year and was given a week to learn a certain passage from "Kramer vs Kramer". What I did was practice one section until I knew that and then added another sentence and another until I knew it. I had it memorised pretty good at home, but when they stuck me in front of a camera with a few people watching, I stuffed it all up! I am pretty sure that in the courses that actors do, they are trained on memory retention skills and over time with more practice, they would get better. Just like any job really.

As many know my boyfriend is an actor who does many live Theater shows and commercials. He does not stay home and or study lines. Too funny on how he arrives at rehearsals an hour early and sits in his car and reads through his lines. He has a knack for what he does and learns them very quickly. Very rare, but sometimes we are home and he is at his computer and says something out loud and I ask huh?, and he says oh sorry just remembering some lines. lol The way he does it is read through the entire script. Over and over because to a sense they have to learn all in order to know when it is their time to say their lines.

i cant imagine being and actor or actress. there is no way i would remember anything. it amazes me. i am better on the writing end of the show i think.

they must have really good memories! seriously, i would forget half of mine. they all look so convincing too.

my cousin's an actress..she says usually it's scene by scene.that way they don't overload. unless it's live.then you're screwed,and hope for a teleprompter

They read the script when they received it. Study the characters and internalize the emotions and played it in their mind.

practice practice practice.... I was in a German play once, blew one line, only the director caught it...

Well, when I did stage play I used to read my lines and practice them for hours until I could memorize them. Most of my roles didn`t have that many lines anyway, but once I had a main role and it was a pain to memorize so much, so I prepared some alternative lines in case of forgetting what I had to say I suppose actors and actress do the same, they read and practice for hours until they can say it perfectly in any situation.

Well actors on TV probably just learn in sections.. They film one scene one day, so they come in with the lines for that scene memorized. Not everyone can do it, that's why they need actors, they're good at memorizing.

I am often surprised at the actors's ability to memorize their lines too.I think that the live dramas on stage is more difficult than Tv play which went through editing and rearrangement after shooting.But there again,there is a prompt side on stage,if by any chance the actor forget his lines someone may prompt him.However I guess that apart from they learn lines by heart, the reason why they can memorize loads of lines is that they are totally immersed in the aura and scene of the play.

DaJaney1966, I suggest you find out from Sylvester Stallone and Alpacino, they will reveal their secrets to you. I do not know much about their trainings. However, I love watching their films. Maybe I would pay much attention to their activities when I am viewing their films

Practice practice practice! =P For the shows that are acted out live on stage, definitely they have to learn all the lines by heart. For those on tv and movies and such, I think they tackle it by parts. I'm not really sure but I think the scenes are shot by location and not necessarily in chronological order. So I suppose it's more practical to learn it by parts. Anyway, I think everything is scheduled, for example, the actors are advised that tomorrow they will be shooting scenes 38 to 44, or something like that. =P And since they are recorded, making mistakes is forgivable. (Good material for bloopers too. =P )

It is really hard trying to memorize lines. I don't know how people like that are able to do it in a week, but I do know it is lots practice and repetition, repetition, repetition! I am a junior in high school and today, I had to perform a duet scene with someone that was about 3 pages filled with lines. I was so nervous and I went up on some lines but I think that it was only 4 or 5 lines. But it is really hard!

I think some are just gifted with memorizing, like a talent. I am not good at memorizing. It's work for me! I remember in school we had to memorize poems and lines and that was ok as I think kids need to learn to memorize. As for actors remembering long scenes, I don't know how they do it either.

I've studied drama at university. Acting is something that I've enjoyed doing since I was a kid. Every actor I've worked with seems to have their own way of learning their lines. Repetition is definitely one method that helps. Saying them out loud also helps to memorize them. I find that the more you say them, the more you will memorize them and the easier it will get. Sometimes, learning them in section does help as well, especially those paragraphs of lines. But as I've said we all have our own ways of memorizing lines. These are just some things that do help.