\nI did 76 auditions this year, booked three jobs, and was called back 7 times. The casting director who got me in to audition that most was [Andrew Anybody at 123 Casting]. He got me in 5 times for different roles. I was also asked to audition by six new casting offices this year! My bookings were all network television guest stars (ABC, CBS), and I had my first ever feature film call back. My most common genres were crime and medical dramas, with the most common roles I auditioned for being attorneys and medical professionals.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
We\u2019ll get into how to analyse this data a bit later, but know that this is the kind of insight that money can\u2019t buy. The best part is that it\u2019s available to you with just a little bit of data entry into a spreadsheet. Sounds like a bonza tradeoff to me!<\/p>\n
How To Start an Audition Log<\/h2>\n
There is no need to overcomplicate your audition log. You want it to be as simple, straightforward and easy to fill out as possible. If it\u2019s too complex, you\u2019ll naturally resist filling it out. Which defeats the entire purpose!<\/p>\n
Because of this, we don\u2019t recommend any tracking software more complicated or expensive than a good old spreadsheet. First you\u2019ll want to fire up a new Excel, Numbers, or Google Sheets document. I like Google Sheets because it auto-saves to the cloud, so you can access it on any device. Once your document is created, simply add in column headings for the categories you\u2019d like to track.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re just starting out, setting up your log will be super easy. If you have a whole history of auditions to look back on, you can make a decision about whether you want to take the time to include historical data. It\u2019s up to you. You might prefer to start fresh and track only your future auditions to save time, or you may want to dig into your past auditions and start unearthing some gems today.<\/p>\n
The key thing to know about your audition log is that it is entirely that: Yours. Keep track of the data that you find the most helpful. In the section below we get into suggestions of what to include to get the most valuable insights, but remember that ultimately this is a tool for you.<\/p>\n
What to Include in Your Audition Tracker<\/h2>\n
Here, we dive into what to include in your log and why<\/em>. Feel free to adjust or add anything that feels useful to you (e.g., \u201cwhat I wore\u201d or \u201cwarm-up routine I used\u201d).<\/p>\n\n- Title of the Project<\/strong> \u2013 Self-explanatory. You\u2019ll need this later!<\/li>\n
- Type of Project<\/strong> \u2013 Theatre, television, web series, commercial, etc. Get specific when possible: Network TV (CBS), SVOD Series (Disney+\/Paramount+), Cruise Ship, Short Film, Studio Feature, Indie Film, etc.<\/li>\n
- Date<\/strong> \u2013 Helpful for seeing your busiest months.<\/li>\n
- Format<\/strong> \u2013 Self-tape or in-room.<\/li>\n
- Role Size<\/strong> \u2013 Lead, Series Regular, Guest Star\/Co-Star, <5 lines, etc.<\/li>\n
- Character\/Role Description<\/strong> \u2013 Note occupation, personality, recurring archetypes (plucky best friend, stern headmaster, etc.).<\/li>\n
- Genre<\/strong> \u2013 Crime, medical drama, rom-com, prestige drama, psychological thriller, etc.<\/li>\n
- Who Got You the Audition<\/strong> \u2013 Self-submission, local agent, LA agent, manager, etc.<\/li>\n
- Casting Director<\/strong> \u2013 Office + specific CD name.<\/li>\n
- Other Key Creatives<\/strong> \u2013 Director, writer, producer, showrunner, production company (as listed on breakdown).<\/li>\n
- Link to Your Audition<\/strong> \u2013 Link to your uploaded self-tape for later review.<\/li>\n
- Progress<\/strong> \u2013 Availability check, callback, pin, producer session, etc.<\/li>\n
- Actor Who Booked<\/strong> \u2013 Name + IMDbPro link + any footage of their final performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Example Audition Log for Actors<\/h2>\n
If you\u2019re struggling to visualise what this might look like, here\u2019s an example below to help you along!<\/p>\n
![\"Audition](\"https:\/\/www.stagemilk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Example-Audition-Log-for-Actors-1024x158.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIf you love playing with colours, fonts, etc. and that makes it more enjoyable, do that. Otherwise, just keep it plain text. Remember, when it comes down to it, this is a living document and will change with every audition! The content is what counts, not what it looks like.<\/p>\n
How to Analyse Your Audition History<\/h2>\n
Now for the fun part. Here\u2019s where it get\u2019s really juicy. When you open up your audition log and reflect on it you are going to become a pattern recognition machine. This is the time to get curious! Start to ask yourself questions about the information in the document and see what patterns begin to emerge.<\/p>\n
A few key thing to look out for include:<\/p>\n
\n- What size of roles am I auditioning for?<\/li>\n
- Who is getting me the most auditions?<\/li>\n
- Have I been auditioning for any of the same writers, directors or producers?<\/li>\n
- Which casting directors kept calling me back, and which new casting directors have I scene?<\/li>\n
- Are there any similarities in genre, role, or style of project that I am consistently auditioning for?<\/li>\n
- Who booked the role, and how was their final performance different to mine in my audition?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Take notes on anything that could increase your opportunities. For example: you keep getting called in for feminist detectives but have nothing like that on your reel\u2026 time to shoot a new scene!<\/p>\n
Have you noticed that you are getting lots of bookings from you agent, but not many from your manager? Dig deeper and get curious and you might find that yes, your agent gets you lots of auditions but only at a guest star level. Whereas your manager may have only gotten you 3, but they were all series regular auditions! Don\u2019t be so hasty about jumping to conclusions. Try to look at what the data is really telling you.<\/p>\n
Maybe you\u2019re booking certain kinds of things more. Maybe you go back to look up a TVC audition you did once it aired and you find out that the role you auditioned for ultimately went to a 50-60 year old Male and the storyline totally changed (true story that once happened to me!). The freedom and empowerment that accompany the discoveries an audition log generates cannot be overstated.\u00a0There are so many gems lurking beneath the surface if we just dig in a little and seek them out!<\/p>\n
Final Thoughts on Keeping An Audition Log<\/h2>\n
Since auditioning is the job, it makes sense to get serious about understanding your auditions. When you undergo this process, it always feels better than what we imagine it\u2019s going to be. Contrary to many actor\u2019s assumptions, it doesn\u2019t reveal your failures, it\u00a0shows you what is going well <\/em>while also shining a light on areas for improvement, or the roles that were never going to be yours anyway. It allows you to surrender to the process and enjoy the journey.<\/p>\nIn an industry where so much is out of our control, the actor\u2019s audition log is a brilliant way to ensure that us actors have agency and accountability in our own careers. The more you know, the easier it becomes and the more you start to enjoy the auditioning process from a place of calm confidence. So get out there, go film that audition, and book that job! (Just make sure you log it after, yeah?)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n