Whether you’re a seasoned actor or just starting out, bringing a professional-looking resume to your audition will help you get the part. Putting together an actor resume can be difficult, but by including your unique skills, as well as your experience and training, you can demonstrate to hiring managers and casting directors why you are the ideal fit for the role.
Casting directors receive around 3,000 entries per part on average. They choose 30 candidates to audition. And they only pick one out of all of them. This means that every time you submit yourself, you only have a 1% chance of getting into the room. Even if you’re one of the lucky ones who gets called in, you only have a 3% chance of landing the part out of everyone who auditions!
This is why your headshot, reel, and Resume which are your three key marketing tools, are so vital. You’ll always struggle to get called in for auditions without them, but with them, your chances of landing the job increase dramatically!
In this article, we’ll go over what an actor resume looks like, how to write one, and how to format one with an example template to help you build your own.
Table of contents
What Is A Resume?
A resume is a formal document that a job seeker creates to list their qualifications for a specific position. A resume is frequently accompanied by a personalized cover letter in which the candidate indicates interest in a particular job or organization and highlights the most important details on the resume.
Who Is An Actor?
An actor or actress is a performer who takes on the role of a character in a play. In the traditional medium of ‘theatre/stage acting’ or in modern media such as film, radio, and television, the actor acts “in the flesh.”
What Does An Actor Do?
Many actors have made a great career out of “bit roles” and have never had a major role, which may still be a highly rewarding job. Others who have a lot of success early in their careers become household names and have a lot of big parts. The bulk of performers’ careers will fall somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
The role of an actor is to thoroughly embody the character they are portraying and to persuade the audience that the character is real by engaging and drawing them into the drama. This applies to both large and minor roles, as all roles work together to make a great performance.
There are a variety of techniques to get into character, and actors frequently research the jobs, interests, and activities of the people they play in order to put themselves in that mindset. Actors will frequently lose or gain weight, or change their hair color, in order to physically create the character they are portraying.
If the role requires any kind of emotional drama (for example, dealing with death), an actor would typically conduct research to find people who have gone through what the tale shows in order to properly comprehend and convey the emotions.
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What Is An Actor Resume?
A resume format for actors seeking work in cinema, television, theater, or other acting mediums is known as an acting resume. An acting resume must fit on a single sheet of paper and usually contains the actor’s headshot. Your actor resume, more than your headshot, is what shows casting directors how serious you are about your job.
A badly structured acting resume is like a lousy soap opera in that it never makes it to the second season. Aim for the top of the resume game, not the second tier.
By using a well-known resume structure, such as the reverse-chronological format, you’ll be able to showcase your previous achievements in the best possible light.
Make sure your resume typefaces are clean and legible, and that the information isn’t cluttered: no one wants to read a script that hurts their eyes. Finally, save it as a PDF file so that it will work on any device that it is read on.
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What Are The Objectives Of An Actor Resume?
When you’re putting together your acting Resume, you should have a few goals in mind. Your resume must align with these goals, which include:
1. Show Professionalism
Your Resume as an actor should reflect your professionalism. In essence, it should show that you are aware of your obligations and what it takes to complete tasks.
To explain everything about yourself in your resume, you must utilize simple and intelligible language. Anyone reading your Resume should be able to discover everything they need to know about you in a few seconds.
2. Outline Experience
You must express how much experience you have and how profitable that experience can be in basic, clear, and succinct terms.
Make sure to include any relevant experiences from your acting career in your resume. Make sure it’s documented, no matter how minor it is.
3. Express Character
No one wants to work with someone who, no matter how competent they are, has a bad personality.
As a result, you must present your character in the best possible light. You must discuss how your character has helped you advance in your work.
4. Demonstrate Willingness to Work
It’s difficult to drag a mule to the creek. Consider what it’s like to make someone work. It is despised by all!
As a result, you must demonstrate your willingness to work as well as your commitment to each assignment.
5. Communicate Teamwork
You must be able to work as part of a group. Progress necessitates collaboration. As a result, you must demonstrate your ability to manage and collaborate with others.
One of the most crucial pieces of advice we can give you is to express yourself as a team leader. You will be considered seriously if you do so.
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Skills For An Actor Resume
It may be a good idea to mention any specific skill sets you have developed throughout your acting career and training, depending on your performing experience. The following abilities can help you stand out on your resume:
Time management skills
Being able to track your time spent in rehearsals, during pre-production, and preparing for production can be crucial to maintaining an acting role.
Interpersonal Skills
Because actors interact with such a broad group of people, the ability to form and sustain professional and personal relationships is often a prerequisite for success.
Emotional Intelligence
An actor’s capacity to sympathize with a story, as well as his or her ability to take on a fictitious part complete with feelings and thoughts, is significantly reliant on emotional intelligence.
Special Skill Sets
To play diverse character parts, special skills such as choreography, stunt coordination, musical talent, and other specific abilities may be required.
See also: How Can I Become an Actor with no Experience: Full Guide
How To Write A Resume For Actors
Since an acting resume differs from a resume seeking a traditional position, there are several key steps to follow when writing an acting resume. The following guide can help you when you get started on your resume:
1. Relate Your Resume To The Role
To begin, double-check that your resume is relevant to the position you’re applying for. If you wish to audition for a TV series role, for example, match your Resume to that part by describing your TV acting experience (if you have it) as well as your applicable skills and training.
2. Include Your Contact Information
Next, prepare your contact information to include your entire name, role (actor, thespian, or current acting role), current phone number, and professional email address. Include your agent’s name and phone number beneath your contact information if you have one.
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3. Include Your Physical Characteristics
Then you must include your physical characteristics. If applicable to the part you’re auditioning for, including your height, weight, hair, and eye color, as well as your clothing size. These facts might also aid a casting director in finding the finest actor for the part.
4. Format Your Resume Objective Or Summary
Your resume aim or summary follows your fundamental information. If you’re just starting out as an actor, a resume objective might help you showcase the role you want and how you plan to apply your skills on the job. If you have a lot of screen experience, you may want to compose a resume summary to highlight your acting experience, talents, and accolades.
5. List Acting Roles In Reverse-chronological Order
Then, starting with your most recent or present acting role, list your acting experience in a reverse-chronological sequence. Up to ten years of acting experience is usually acceptable, especially if you have had a long-running role in a recurrent series. If you’re just getting started as an actor, including any roles you’ve played in community theater productions, as part of your training, or any other acting or stage work you’ve done professionally. In addition, the dates of your previous positions should not be included on your Resume.
6. Include Your Education And Training
You should include your schooling and acting training regardless of your degree of expertise. List your school or university’s name, the year you graduated, and your degree. You can also list any unique certificates you have relating to the industry. Also, if you have any particular training, such as stage or theatrical training, stunt coordination, or other professional training, make sure to mention it in this box.
7. Highlight Your Unique Skills
Highlight the distinctive skill sets that set you apart from other candidates once you’ve listed your degree and training. Showcase your experience and skills with choreographing and executing stunt scenes on your CV, for example. The more distinct and specialized your skill sets are, the more likely you are to get selected for your desired position.
8. Showcase Any Awards Or Accolades
If you have any acting honors or remarkable achievements, you can list these on your resume as well. Showing hiring managers that you have gained public acknowledgment for your talent, work ethic, and commitment to your profession will help you get hired for the position.
9. List Any Well-known Directors Or References
You can also add the names of any well-known or respectable directors or professional references to your network. Only name a director with whom you have worked if they are well-known in the acting business in which you work. For example, if you played a leading role in an award-winning film directed by a well-known international director, you would mention it on your resume.
10. Attach Your Resume To Your Headshot
Finally, proofread and print your resume before attaching it to the back of your headshot. Make sure your résumé fits on a single page, 8″ x 10″ sheet of paper, and staple it to your headshot at the top two corners of the paper. If you use normal 8.5″ x 11″ resume paper, you can cut the excess page to suit your headshot.
Actor Resume Template
To assist you in formatting your resume, use the following template:
[Name], [City and state], [list your actors’ union if you are a member of one] [Phone number], [email address] [Agent’s name and phone number] [Resume summary or objective] [Acting experience starting with the most recent first] [Education and training] [Special skills] [Awards and accolades] [References] [Headshot]Example Actor Resume
The following example illustrates how you can use the sample template to format your acting resume:
Bry Ruez, Actress
Los Angeles, CA | 310-302-9876 | [email protected]
Agent: Claire Von Houe | 310-332-6789 | [email protected]
Resume Summary:
Passionate actor who excels at portraying complicated characters in drama and action films. Dedicated to establishing a connection between the audience and the characters through intensive character research, study, and preparation. Two-time Actors Guild nominee has a track record of bringing characters to life.
Roles and experience:
TV series:
“Forever in Eternity,” Rose Yeardly
“The Longest Mile,” seasons 1 through 4, Yolanda Rice
Theater:
“Hamlet,” Ophelia | Stage West Productions, LLC
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Hippolyta | Shakespearean Productions, Ltd.
Education:
Torrenson School for Performing Arts 2013
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Training:
Thespian advanced training
Stage development training
Television production training
Special skills:
Stunt coordination and mini-roles
Ballet choreography
Fluent command of Spanish, French and Italian languages
Awards and accolades:
Actors’ Guild Award: two-time nominee
Screen Award of Excellence, 2015
References:
Nick Hanes, Director | [email protected]
Leslie Finndler, Producer | [email protected]
Conclusion
A large number of people have chosen resume writing as a career choice. As a result, it’s a huge problem. So, if you raced through this stuff, you’ll need to go back and read it again to completely comprehend and repeat it.
As you can see, writing an actor resume necessitates far more than a standard resume. There are also some basic tricks that can help you succeed. We are confident that you will not repeat those awful resume blunders.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can write a resume for an actor when you follow the key steps listed in this article.
A resume format for actors seeking work in cinema, television, theater, or other acting mediums is known as an acting resume.
Your resume must pick key details such as your work experience and skills.
The role of an actor is to thoroughly embody the character they are portraying and to persuade the audience that the character is real by engaging and drawing them into the drama.
References
- How to Make an Actor Resume (With Template and Example)
- 5 Acting Resume Examples (+ Resume Writing Guide)
- Acting Resume Template [+25 Tips & Examples for Actors]
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