Free Cast List Template for Film (PDF and Google Sheets)
The cast list is the page your whole team reaches for when they need an actor. Who plays who, how to reach them, who their agent is and which days they work. This free cast list template gives you a fillable PDF in US Letter and A4 and a Google Sheet you can copy, plus a filled-in example from a short film.
TL;DR: One Row per Actor, One Version for Everyone
Give every character a number, then list the actor, phone, email, agent, union status and work days on the same row. Date the list, send it to your department heads and resend it every time something changes. An old cast list on set causes more trouble than no cast list.
Download the Free Cast List Template
The PDF is a fillable cast list with room for 16 actors. The spreadsheet has the same columns with 60 rows, plus the Dead Air example on its own tab.
What Is a Cast List?
A cast list is a production document with every actor in the film, the character they play and how to contact them. The producer or 1st AD keeps it, and it goes to the director, the ADs, wardrobe, makeup and the production office.
- Cast numbers: each character gets a number, usually in order of importance. Nora is 1, Eddie is 2. The same numbers appear on the call sheet, the shooting schedule and the script breakdown
- Contacts: phone and email for the actor, plus their agent or manager
- Work days: which shoot days each actor is needed, so the ADs can build the call sheet
- Notes: costume fittings, rehearsals, allergies to flag to catering, anything the team needs before day one
Don’t confuse it with a crew list. The cast list covers the people on screen. The crew list covers everyone behind the camera. Our film crew positions guide covers who those people are.
What’s in the Cast List Template
- Header: production, director, producer, and a version and date box
- 16 rows: cast number, character, actor, phone, email, agent or rep, union, work days, and fittings or notes
- Sideways page: room for long email addresses
- Google Sheet: the same columns, with 60 rows and a filled-in example tab
Cast List Example: Dead Air
Here’s the template filled in for Dead Air, the made-up short film about a late-night radio host from our screenplay template.
- Voice roles count. The Caller is never on screen, but he’s cast member 3. His work day is a recording session before the shoot.
- Work days come from the schedule. Walt only appears on day 3, so the ADs don’t call him on days 1 and 2.
- Union status matters. Eddie is a SAG-AFTRA member, so the producer checks which agreement covers the shoot before day one.
- The version box saves arguments. “v3, 8 Oct” tells everyone which list is current.
Here’s a habit that helps on any shoot.
Put the cast number next to every name you write on set. Scene notes, call sheets, prop tags.
“1” is faster to write than “Nora,” and it never gets misspelled.
How to Make a Cast List
- Number the characters. Start with the lead as 1 and work down by how many scenes each character has.
- Add actors as you cast them. Leave the row in place for any role still open, so the numbers don’t change.
- Get contact details in writing. Ask each actor for their phone, email and agent in the same message you send their offer.
- Add work days from the schedule. Pull them from your shooting schedule once it’s locked.
- Keep private details private. Home addresses and emergency contacts belong in the production office file, not on a list that goes to the whole crew.
- Date it and resend it. Every change gets a new version number.
Once you cast someone, send them a talent release form to sign before the shoot.
Why a Cast List Has to Stay Current: Back to the Future
Even big productions recast. Eric Stoltz played Marty McFly in Back to the Future for over a month of shooting. He was let go in January 1985, and Michael J. Fox started work days later, according to Collider. Director Robert Zemeckis said he had simply miscast the role.
Every document with the old name on it had to change. The cast list, the call sheets and the contacts all had to switch over in a matter of days. On your shoot, recasting might be as small as a friend dropping out the week before. If the list is dated and shared from one place, one update fixes it for everyone.
Quick tip for low-budget shoots.
Write the backup actor’s name in the notes column for your key roles.
If someone drops out, you already know who to call.
More On-Set Paperwork
This template is part of a free set of on-set forms. Use them together and your whole crew works from the same paperwork.
- Prop list template: every prop by scene, with hero props and backups
- Camera and sound report templates: a log of every take, card and track
- Script supervisor template: take notes and a continuity sheet for every scene
- Call sheet template: who needs to be where, and when, for each shoot day
Once the cast is set, lock each actor’s rate and billing with a cast deal memo.
FAQs About Cast List Templates
Is a Cast List the Same as the Credits?
No. The credits are the final, public list at the end of the film. The cast list is a working document for the production, with private contact details. Never publish it or share it outside the team.
Should Extras Go on the Cast List?
Usually not. Extras go on a separate background list, managed by the 2nd AD. Anyone with lines goes on the cast list, even if they only have one.
Can I Use This Template for a Play or a School Production?
Yes. Swap work days for rehearsal and show dates, and use the notes column for costume sizes.
The Final Cut on the Cast List Template
A cast list template keeps every actor’s details in one place, with one version everyone can trust.
Number your characters, fill in a row as you cast each role, and resend the list every time it changes.
Who’s cast member number one on your next shoot?
Jay Neill
Jay Neill is the founder and managing editor of iFILMthings and believes everyone should have access to the film resources they need to plan their filmmaking project, which is why he’s dedicated iFILMthings to helping all filmmakers.