So let’s break down the components of the CV to drill down on some of the basic ideas you’ll want to include in your acting resume…
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Acting Resumes: How to Write a Resume for Acting
While acting can often seem like one of the more glamorous aspects of filmmaking, the truth is, it’s first and foremost a job.
All jobs require interview and vetting processes and a resume can play an instrumental part in introducing you to the right people and eventually landing some work.
Components of an Acting Resume
Choose A Template
Before you dive into your background and relevant experiences and skills, you’ll want to select an acting resume template (a number of which can be found here). While there are several templates to choose from, what’s crucial here is ensuring that the information you want to convey comes across cleanly and clearly.
Resumes aren’t the time to be cute and clever. This is where you need to deliver your essential information as quickly and lucidly as possible to your reader. Don’t waste time on fancy wording or unnecessary descriptions. Like being on stage, you want to grab your audience’s attention as quickly as possible. So choose a format that suits you, but also be sure that all the information you’d like to express is lucid. professional, and clearly presented.
Fonts
Always use basic fonts that are readable and clear. Even though there are so many varied fonts to choose from, this is a situation where simpler is always going to work out better. Keep your letters plain and readable. The last thing you want is someone squinting at your words, trying to decipher what they are.
Keep It Black and White
We understand that color can be tempting and potentially eye-catching, but it also screams amateurishness. Professionalism is essential when it comes to building a resume, so avoid the temptation to be flamboyant and flashy on your resume. Black letters on a white background are the easiest to read and the fastest way to reach your reader.
Use Three Columns
This means using three columns to organize and display your information (this should be evidenced in several of the resume templates linked above). Typically these columns are divided into: (1) name of the production, (2) the role you played in the show, (3) where the work was showcased (whether that’s a film studio, TV network or streamer, or playhouse).
Ensure There’s An Ample Amount Of White Space On The Page
This one sounds a little strange. But it’s true. Ideally, you want your black on white words to pop off the page and catch your reader’s eye. The most effective way to do this is make sure the black letters have enough white space around them to really grab your reader.
Keep It To One Page
This is another one that gives some people pause. But the truth is, agents, casting directors, executives, producers and directors don’t have the time to go through every resume with a fine tooth comb. Even if you have experience that brings you to two (or even three!) pages, be judicious and make sure your resume keeps your most impressive and note-worthy work and experiences all on a single page.
Include Your Personal Information
Your personal information includes your name, contact information (phone number and/or email address), and any union affiliations you may have (if you don’t have any union affiliations such as SAG or AFTRA, don’t worry about it; everyone started somewhere without any union memberships. You’ll get there.).
Personal information also includes your overall look and physical features. In this section, you’ll list your height, weight, eye color, hair color, body type and any other physical characteristic that may stand out and make you a unique candidate for roles.
Your agent and manager’s contact information (if you have them) should also be included in this section. Confer with your representatives to see if you should offer contacts for both yourself and them, as oftentimes agents and managers would prefer all potential work correspondence to always go through them before it reaches their clients (read: you).
List Your Relevant Experience
This is the nuts and bolts of your resume. It’s where you list the work you’ve done and are given a chance to shine by not only displaying the production you performed in, but also potentially offering up a recognizable title. And speaking of recognizable titles, it’s best to put your most potentially known work at the top. Let the first thing the reader sees be something that grabs them immediately.
Build In Your Education And Training
In this section, everything that you’ve done as far as training and educating yourself counts. Whether it’s a four-year college degree or a six-week workshop or a one-day seminar, include it all. You want to showcase the discipline and schooling you’ve worked through in order to better yourself as an actor. And as a side note, the more diverse the schooling and training, the better. A broader range an actor can perform in, the more you increase your chances of landing diverse work.
List Your Special Skills
You know you’ve got them. Now you just need to share them with the world. Whatever unique skills or abilities you can showcase on your resume, this is the section to do so.
Do you speak multiple languages? Can you perform in different accents? Are you a dancer? An acrobat? An athlete (if so, tell us the specific sport)? A martial artist? Do you sing (if you do, indicate your range, e.g. High D or Tenor)?
Listing out the abilities, talents and experience that makes you unique, allows this portion of your resume to be the ideal place in helping you stand out in a crowd. And considering the high level of competition in the Industry (specifically acting), you’ll want to take every opportunity you can to showcase any of your noteworthy and special skills.
Incorporate Your Awards And Accolades
Here’s the space to toot your horn and talk about your acting-related accomplishments and victories. Mention the name of the competition, the year you participated, and your specific placement within it.
Resumes should always be kept on hand and up to date. By “on hand” we’re talking hard copies. You never know when you’ll have an opportunity to pitch yourself to a potential employer. So keep copies around and easily accessible.
Because you’ll ideally be constantly updating your headshot, it’s a good idea to print your resume on a separate piece of paper (as opposed to printing it directly on the back of your headshot). This way, you can easily affix the updated version of your resume to your headshot. Otherwise, you’ll have to reprint everything with each new job you get! Don’t use glue or paperclips to attach your resume to your headshot; glue can get messy and paperclips tend to snag and catch on things they’re not supposed to.
Be Honest
Here’s an important one, but it’s something that should be included in this discussion and that’s to remember to always tell the truth on your resume (you’d be surprised how often this rule gets ignored).
Aside from the obvious issue of being immoral, getting caught in a lie on your resume (whether it be for a job you got, an award you won, or even an education you may have received) will more than likely destroy any shot you’d have at the gig, and further, could seriously affect your reputation.
Acting Resume Examples
Here are a couple of acting resumes we really like. Notice how they’re neatly organized, with separate sections for different types of credits, education, and special skills. You’ll also notice that these resumes include different info sections and have different formats. That’s great! You’re not a cookie-cutter Actor, and your resume shouldn’t be, either.
Courtesy of Sarah Halford.
Courtesy of Matthew Gerrish.
Summary
Acting resumes aren’t necessarily required to secure auditions and work, but they are invaluable in terms of providing potential employers with a quick summary of your look, your abilities, and your work. Before you have agent or manager representation, resumes are the best way to get your experience across to someone looking to cast a role.
FAQ
How do I write a resume for acting?
Like any standout CV, an acting resume should competently describe your acting experience and skill set (as it’s relevant to acting).
You only get one opportunity to make a first impression and a resume is your big shot at an introduction to a potential employer. Whether it’s an agent, casting director, studio executive, producer or director reading over your work and experience history, it’s important to make this one count.
Do you need a resume for an acting audition?
Believe it or not, the fast answer here is no. You don’t necessarily need a resume for an acting audition because oftentimes your representatives will be speaking with casting directors to secure you auditions and work, but having a resume couldn’t hurt either.
It’s a great way to give someone looking to make a hire a quick snapshot into you and your work history and Industry experience.
How far back should an acting resume go?
Acting experience on a resume should date back a maximum of ten years. That includes work in theater, television and film. Any further than that, and things will start to feel dated.
A lot of people wonder if they should include their work as an extra on their acting resume. While extra work can give you some terrific stories to tell and put you in the same space as some renowned actors, directors and producers, it’s generally best to leave this off your resume. Extra work isn’t viewed the same way as a featured performance and listing it on your resume could potentially devalue the way you’re perceived.
What should be on an acting resume?
An acting resume should reflect your capabilities to someone before you walk in for an audition. It should include your educational background if relevant to your acting work, as well as the most substantial roles you have performed.
Basics, such as your height, weight, eye color, and hair color should also be included on an acting resume. Also add any skills such as knowing other languages or specific physical abilities like sword-fighting on an acting resume.
What do you put on a beginner acting resume?
It may seem challenging to create an impressive resume when you’re just starting out in the industry, but it can be done. In lieu of prior acting experience, focus on your education and skills that are relevant to your acting work.
And if you have minor roles outside of background work, include it!
What does a good acting resume look like?
A good acting resume is easy to read, and updated as often as you are working or training.
Credits should be listed by genre. You’ll want to separate each genre: Television, Film, Theater, Education, Training. Special Skills, etc. If you’re just starting out, and don’t have any television or film credits yet, then adding any recent theater roles you played is a good place to start.
List experience with most recent credits at the top of each section. Every time you get a new credit, add the name of the project, the type of role you played (For Theater – Lead or Supporting, For TV – Guest Star, Co-Star, etc), and the network/Director’s name (3 separate columns) to your resume.
For example:
Grey’s Anatomy Guest Star ABC / Dir. Chandra Wilson
Include your education and training.. It doesn’t matter what age you are starting out as an Actor, training is essential and something to always highlight on your resume. List the name of any schools you’ve attended, what special acting classes you’ve taken (scene study, improv, etc), and if you did any specialized training (stage combat, etc).
Don’t forget your unique skills. After you list your education and training, highlight the unique skill sets that set you apart from other Actors. Make sure you can perform any of these skills at a pro-level, as you will be competing against other Actors in whatever special skills you mention here.
Highlight any awards or accolades. If you did an independent film and won “Best Actress at Palm Spring International Film Festival,” put an asterisk “*” at the end of the credit, and denote the award at the bottom of the Film section.
Ask your reps for an example. If you already have representation, be sure to ask them for a sample of a great resume for you to model.
Prepare like a pro. If you don’t have representation, be sure to do your homework and research templates for layout and best formatting practices, before submitting to Agents or Managers.
Should you put background work on your resume?
No, background work shouldn’t go on a professional acting resume. It’s better to list great training and theater than a long list of Extra work. Doing background work can give a new Actor great behind-the-scenes experience on how things work on a set, so do it to gain a bit of knowledge, but not as a long-term game plan.
How do you get acting credits?
When I was first starting out, I made sure I was studying with great Acting Teachers, as well as taking improvisation classes and even stand-up comedy, too. Then I submitted myself for all kinds of work and started booking theatre, independent films, student films, and commercials.
Put in the work to train and know the craft. Trying to get acting credits without first studying the craft is not going to fuel your career in the long run. To start auditioning, research the casting sites in your market that put out listings for independent films, student projects, commercials, theater, or whatever genre you want to work in.
Don’t get discouraged by rejection. You may have to send a lot of self-tapes before you get cast. Pursuing an acting career is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay at it, don’t let the setbacks derail you or defeat you, and be sure to learn from working pros who serve to empower you.
Want more insights from a working pro? Learn The 5 Secrets To Becoming A Successful Working Actor: Enjoy A Free Masterclass With Wendy Braun: ActorInspiration.com/secrets
What skills do you need for acting?
What makes an Actor successful depends on the person. Tom Cruise is a wildly different kind of Actor than Robert DeNiro, and both of them are vastly unlike Tom Hanks. Yet they all have enjoyed hugely successful acting careers.
But between them all, there is a desire to realize the character they are playing to the fullest degree. As they say, each Actor “commits” to the role. There must also be a vulnerability to show emotion or embody a character who may not be entirely likeable. Most of all, there must be a passion to be part of this industry that often entails far many more lows than highs.
Each Actor has their own strengths. Lean into what yours are to make your talent and proficiency distinct from others. Most of all, commit not only to each role you take on, but also to your career as a whole so that you can successfully navigate this sometimes enigmatic profession.
Sources
Wendy Braun
Accomplished Actress Wendy Braun is currently shooting her 4th season of Netflix’s Atypical. She’s also appeared recently on hit shows including Grey’s Anatomy, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Documentary Now, Liza On Demand, and Criminal Minds.
With over 80 TV + Film credits, over 100 commercials + thousands of voiceovers, Wendy has combined decades of invaluable on-set experience with her passion for empowering other creatives.
She’s the CEO + founder of ActorInspiration.com, where her transformational tools + powerful teachings have helped thousands of actors overcome obstacles + create breakthrough success. Download Wendy’s Free Self-Tape Success Checklist and be ready to go for your next audition: ActorInspiration.com/selftape
Enjoy this article? Connect with Wendy on Instagram at @actorinspirit
Photo credit: Jeff Nicholson
References
- 1Ates, Alex. "Everything You Need To Know About Actors’ Unions". Backstage. published: 2 March 2020. retrieved on: 30 April 2021
- 2Anandan, Rajesh. "You’ve Only Got 6 Seconds to Pitch, Are You Ready?". Medium. published: 8 January 2020. retrieved on: 30 April 2021
- 3Daily Actor. "How To Make An Acting Resume". Daily Actor. published: 2021. retrieved on: 30 April 2021
- 4Philips, Carmichael. "Never Do This on Your Acting Résumé!". Acting Magazine. published: 11 July 2019. retrieved on: 30 April 2021
- 5McQuerrey, Lisa. "How to Make an Acting Resume With No Experience". Chron. published: 1 July 2018. retrieved on: 30 April 2021
- 6Indeed Editorial Team. "How to Make an Actor Resume (With Template and Example)". Indeed Career Guide. published: 9 April 2021. retrieved on: 30 April 2021