8 reasons to keep an audition log

I love a good spreadsheet. I really, really do. I like lists. I like statistics. I like charts.

I've been keeping an audition log since my New York first audition over 10 years ago. (I've been on 1807 auditions; thanks for asking.) I remember in the beginning feeling not-even-a-little control over my career. I had big plans, and NO IDEA to how to accomplish them. But I did know one thing:

You can't know where you're going unless you know where you've been.

You can buy a log book at Drama Book Shop, or online, and fill it in; that's a good start. Check out:
Sandra De Bruin's book. You can fill this up in year, if you're working hard.
Or just buy a nice, empty book from the gift section at a book store, and fill it in.

Here's the information you'll want to keep:

Audition #:
Date:
Project:
Medium (Theatre / film / voiceover etc.):
Submitted by:
Material performed:
Wardrobe:
Did I get a callback?:
Did I book it?:
Who did I meet?

Notes:
•If you've met a casting director or assistant for the first time - get them on your maintenance mailing list.
•Send a thank you note if it's a first meeting, or if the casting director really went out of his/her way to help you.

I can go on and on about why an audition log is important. Let me name a few reasons why:

1 -You will forget names if you don't write them down.
2 - Casting directors are taking notes on you. You may walk into a room and be a familiar face to them. Wouldn't it be great if you knew why?
3 - Keeping count is motivation. Can I hit 100 auditions by the end of the year?
4 - If an agent with whom you are freelancing wants to sign you, you'll need to know how often they send you out. Should you sign?
5 - I always advise staying in the waiting room for a minute or two after the audition. To avoid awkwardness, fill in your audition log.
6 - For theatre auditions you may want to wear the same clothes. Now you have a record.
7 - If you've sung a song or a performed a monologue for a casting director, and they didn't care for it, if you keep records, you can know not to use that material again.
And finally:
8 - When you plan for how to improve your career, you have tangible data about what is working and what isn't.

An audition log should be in every actors toolkit!!