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Actors! 17 ways to improve your resume!

1. Choose a font that is simple and easy to read.

2. At the top, write your name, union status (SAG, AFTRA, AEA, etc.), website, contact information, and / or agency information.

3. If you are not unionized, do not write “Not unionized.” You don’t want to publicize that fact! Just don’t mention anything about union status.

4. Many actors list their height, weight, eye and hair color, and age range. This is not really necessary, because they can see your color and build from the photo. And NEVER mention your age; Many people can play older or younger, but if a casting director sees that your actual age (or rank) isn’t right for the role, they won’t call you!

5. Organize your resume into these sections: Film / TV, Theater, Commercials, Training, and Special Skills. Separate the section title in some way: bold, uppercase, or underline. (Some people divide their Film / TV Credits further: Film – Feature Films, Film – Short Films, Television. In New York, it is common to have several sections for Theater: Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional).

6. For the Film / TV and Theater sections, it must have 3 columns: Show Title, Role and Production Company / Theater.

7. For Film / TV, do not include the role name (for example, “Audra”). Unless the casting director has seen every movie, they won’t know if you are the lead or if you only have one line. Instead, list the role type: Leader, Co-Star, Minor, Main, Featured. If you have only one line to speak, it is a start. If you have no lines but are doing more than standard background work, you are highlighted.

8. Don’t list standard background work UNLESS you have a meager resume. If you need to develop your resume, then instead of the role type (Background), I would list the character: high school student, reporter, restaurant patron, opera assistant, etc. The casting directors will realize that it is background work, but at least they will show that you have been on set.

9. In the Commercial section, simply write “List available on request”. Do not list your credits. I know this sounds strange, but it is the industry standard … Usually people only want to know their trade credits if they need to verify conflicts. (That is, they want to know if you just did a McDonald’s commercial before submitting it for a Burger King commercial.) The exception is: if you are just starting out and have mostly commercial credits, but very few theater or film / television credits. , go ahead and list them to complete your resume.

10. For each credit section, list your work in chronological order BEGINNING with the most recent. An alternative method is to list all of your MAIN roles first, then all of your child roles, down to the featured / background roles. (I prefer this method, because if I list mine chronologically it would be: Featured, Co-Star, Leader, Featured, Beginning, Supporting, Featured, Leader, Leader, Leader … And this may seem strange to a casting director.)

11. MAKE a list of student movies. Put them next to your other movies in the Cinema / TV section. Student Films does not usually have the name of a production company; instead, put “UCLA Student Film” or “NYU Thesis.”

12. … But DON’T mention high school theater! If you just finished high school and don’t have a lot of other experience then that’s okay. I’d say once you get out of college, it definitely wipes out all of your high school credits.

13. In formation, list all acting, singing or dancing classes / workshops you have taken and who you took them with (instructor or studio name). If you have a theater degree, please list it here.

14. Under Special Skills, list the skills you REALLY HAVE. Any sport (basketball, martial arts, golf, gymnastics, snowboarding, etc.); musical talents (piano, saxophone, classically trained tenor, etc.); accents and languages ​​(for languages, indicate the level, for example, “fluent in German, basic French”). You’ll want to mention any special training you’ve had, such as a military or a doctor. Other good examples of special skills are: sword fighting, stage combat, horseback riding, ballroom dancing, break dancing, juggling, waitress, bar service, painting, photography, poetry, whistling, Michael Jackson impersonator, double jointed elbows , can drive. a manual transmission, you can wiggle your ears, you can hoola-hoop for a straight hour. Basically anything that not everyone can do! It’s okay to be cute or funny in this section. But DO NOT say you can do something you can’t, because they will probably call you!

15. DO NOT LIE ON YOUR CV. While you can get away with listing a silly video project you made with your friends as a short film, you can’t say you had a speaking role in a major movie if you didn’t! You will look very silly if they catch you.

16. Keep your resume on one page. You can make margins really small if you need more space, but never exceed one page!

17. Trim your resume to 8 x 10 size – do not staple an 8.5 x 11 “sheet to an 8 x 10” photo with the excess hanging down. Looks run down and unprofessional. You don’t need to print it on resume paper; Plain white computer paper is fine.

By following these tips, you can be sure that your resume will have all the information a casting director needs and that you look professional. Good luck!