The Actor's Résumé
Tuesday, January 1st @ 1:50 PM
The Actor's Résumé
A résumé is a one-page listing that contains the following (in this order):
Your name at the top; big and bold.
The names of any actors' unions to which you belong.
Your contact phone numbers, e-mail address (if you have an agent, the agent's contact details instead of yours) and website address.
Your physical attributes: your height, weight, eye and hair colors and age range come next. What I mean by age range is this: if you are 40 and A LOT of people have told you you look 30, put your age range as 30 - 40. Many actors feel it is too limiting to put down an age range; so you may decide not to mention it at all. But as I have mentioned elsewhere on this website, don't go and audition for a part of a 15 year old girl if you are 40 just because you think you look young. You may be the only person that thinks that!
If you need to sing in the production also list your vocal range.
If you plan to do print work, you can include your measurements and clothes sizes.
All your performances: if you have any film experience, that comes first under the heading "Film." Television credits are next on the page, followed by Theater and then Industrials. An example of Industrials could be commercials or corporate videos. List where your performances took place and what part you played. List the names of the producers and directors - some even list the names of the leading actors in the production if they are well-known.
Training and Education: list acting degrees, certificates, courses, workshops attended, etc. List with whom you studied and where - especially if you little experience or if your teachers are well known. Training shows you are serious about your acting career.
Your special talents (e.g. champion swimmer; can do great imitations; look like Tom Cruise; can do cartoon voices; can do back flips, can do British, New York, Southern accents, can play violin, can speak German, Dutch, etc.). Don't be shy about listing your unique skills - you might just end up in the next Jackass movie!
If you have an agent, he or she will probably have specific layout preferences. If you are a beginner actor, don't feel embarrassed about your resume - at least you have one and you are showing the casting director you are professional and serious. Blow casting directors away with your personality, acting skills or monologue in the audition room. If you performed in high school plays or community theater, put that on your resume.
The résumé is usually attached to the back of your 8 x 10 headshot - either with staples neatly in each corner or it could be glued on. Better yet - if you can afford it - get résumés professionally printed on the back of your photos. Your résumé should be updated after each performance, if you have gained or lost weight, changed your hair color, cut your hair, and of course as you are aging
Musts for very resume:
Your résumé should be clean, concise, organized and easy to read. Make sure every thing is spelled correctly. Don't try to be artistically creative. Select a font that is easy to read.
Your resume should be truthful; in other words: don't lie! The world of theater and film is very small.
If you are auditioning for a film role, place film credits first; for a theater role, place theater credits first; for a TV production, place TV credits first- you get the picture!
Don'ts on your resume:
NEVER put your home address and your social security number / identification number or passport number on your résumé - there is too much identity theft going on!!!! That information is not required until you sign contracts or fill out vouchers.
Don't print your resume on florescent or brightly colored papers.
Layout of Resume
You may use more general categories like: Film, Television, Theater or Stage and Industrials.
Under these general categories, use columns to separate information. In column one, put the production title; column two, the role you played; column three, name of theater/producer/director.
Don't clutter your acting résumé with dates or too much information. Try to limit your resume to one page. If you have too many productions to list, just state: "Additional credit information available on request". If the casting director or casting team is curious, they will ask when you did the work.
Bring two or three résumés to every audition, even if you sent a headshot to the casting person.
For perfect examples of résumsé I recommend the following e-book which you can download in minutes: Résumé Templates and Headshot Tips. It is packed with templates, cover letter tips and tons of bonus information on getting a great headshot. For more information click here or on the image below:
www.usafilmproduction.com if you are serious in becoming an actor!