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Acting Journal: How to Keep Track of your Progress

        A year after going full-time in acting, a practice that I find really helpful was keeping a notebook dedicated to my acting work. I call it my acting journal where I list schedules, methods I plan to use during scenes, script analysis etc. And when I update my resume usually around July or August, it's easier for me to list and select works to include in it.

(Photo by Marcos Paolo Prado, unsplash.com)


So what do I write in my acting journal?

  1. Auditions.

Once I book an audition, I write down the project name, date, venue, contact information and any specific instructions given. Then I write down things I need to prepare for the role I will be auditioning for such as character goals,  if I need to write a monologue or if I need to breakdown a script that was sent in advance.

(More tips on what to do during auditions.)


  1. Acting Jobs.

When I book a gig, I write down the important dates like rehearsals, workshops, meetings and shooting schedules. I also take note of the film title and director's name. This comes really handy when updating my resume.


  1. Characterization.

I also write my character study in the journal. I start with an overall goal or objective and then do a scene per scene or a character relationship breakdown. For rush and short notice projects I also prepare what I call emergency switches which is something to help me get into an emotional scene quickly.

(Learn about emotion switches here.)



Why keep an acting journal?

  1. It makes it easier to track your schedule. You will find it's easier to find your work and audition schedules compared to when everything is listed together with your personal schedules. 


  1. You can track your progress. 

You can easily see from your preparation notes and roles you landed which methods and acting tools worked best for you. It reminds you what roles you frequently get casted for. And it also gives you an idea of your strengths and you can also identify what you need to improve.


  1. A great tool when updating resumes and list of works.

Whenever you need to recall a project and details about it such as a director's name or who to contact when asking for a screener copy of a film, you can just open your journal and easily find it. This also goes when you need to find information to update your resume or filmography.

(Learn how to make an acting resume.)


#acting #actingtips #actor #beginneractors

#actingworkshop #ActorsInThePhilippines

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