Make it a single page. In other professional fields, it has become largely acceptable to have a resume that can extend to two pages. But in the acting world, a single page is still the standard. Why is that the case? Read on.
Attach it to the back of the headshot. As mentioned, a headshot is critical, but it can hardly convey anything beyond physical features. To make it convenient for an Agent or Casting Director to better learn if an Actor is right for a role, their acting resume should be attached to their headshot, hence the need for the resume to be only a single page.
Also, having the resume attached to the headshot necessitates that it be 8 inches by 10 inches.
Stick to traditional fonts. Of course, every Actor wants their resume to stand out, but the key to doing so is to make it look professional. For that reason, avoid using unusual or niche fonts and stick to classic styles like Arial or Times New Roman.
Also, Actors shouldn’t rely on patterned paper or colored text, which can come across as distracting or amateurish to those in a position to decide auditions or roles.
Keep it clean. A resume should be easy to read and not cluttered with excessive text, so Actors must prioritize quality over quantity. Not every role, especially much older or minor ones, needs to be included on an acting resume. Include only the most pertinent or recent work experiences that display professional range.
Section off work. Speaking of work experiences, Actors who have played roles in more than one medium should have a distinct section for each of them. That means Actors should separate their listings for television, film, theater and web series experience. If an Actor’s experience is extensive, they might even want to consider creating separate resumes for each medium of work.
List roles chronologically. Some Actors prefer to list their most significant roles first, but again, the more typical standard is to list work starting with the most recent.