So I’ve seen some threads around the site about using movies and tv shows as memory palaces but this is different. R30 uses scenes within the movies and shows, but not the actual places within them.
Anyway, just thought I might share how I use movies as memory palaces, albeit I’m still struggling with memorising the movies places themselves.
So, I like using Metivier’s terminology for this; macro-locations and micro-locations. For my example, I’ll be using Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
A macro-location in hp 1 could be the Gryffindor common room. The micro-location is loci within the common room. The sofas, window, fireplace, stairs, etc. One could pick any from 5 to 15 loci. Even 20, if someone can handle the “overload”. So in a movie like hp 1 I can get 450 loci, if I use 30 macro-loc and 15 micro-loc.
So for all those who, like me, need to memorise a lot of info and don’t have an abundance of places to use, I hope this works.
Also, please comment if you have any questions or suggestions. I would really appreciate feedback on how to improve this method or how to become more efficient with using it, because I still struggle with it. I seem to become easily mentally fatigued when I memorise movies in preparation.
The problem with all virtual Memory Palaces is that you need to mentally recreate them with greater imaginative resources than Memory Palaces based on real locations.
This means that regardless of the number of stations, recall of the unreal will almost certainly always cost more energy and attention than a station (Macro or Micro) you reliably know to exist.
Why?
Because you’ve been there in a sense that you can never have been to Gryffindor. Your brain chemistry just doesn’t form the same experience that I believe accounts for the difference in most mnemonists.
That “most” means I’m not making a scientific claim - I’m confident some people do even better with imagined Memory Palaces and it probably has to do with how they’re wired to experience imaginative space.
In any case, the best tip I can give you is to put aside the big numbers and start small. If you can get really good at using just four micro-stations in one room of the Overlook Hotel visible to you in The Shining movie or imagined by you after reading the novel, then you can add a second and build from there.
But if you can’t master one room with four Micro-stations to create practical and reliable outcomes, than what you could do theoretically doesn’t really matter.
Incidentally, if you want to use movies and reduce the fatigue of reconstituting the imaginary Memory Palaces, narrowing down to just the four corners of each room is a great way to do it. From there, you can Vaughn Cube the rooms, but you’ll still be expending energy on holding the nature of the room in your mind that is much higher than you would be for your kitchen.
But that’s me being theoretical. How things work out for you in practice will be a delight to read. Hope this helps and hope to read how things play out for you!
Thing is, I’ve already done that. I started with 5 micro and 15 macro. Then increased the macro, after which I increased the micro. I managed to memorise 2000 hanzi like that before I burned myself out (I guess I got too enthusiastic).
Also, I’m a big movie and tv show lover. I spend most of my recreational time either watching movies, or tv shows, or reading. That and watching anime…
Another thing, I never got to thank you for your reply in my welcome post. Thanks so much for that, and for the suggestions. I’ve checked out your website and I’ve listened to quite a few of your podcasts; they’ve truly been a big help. :'D
