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 A resume for an actor or actress is somewhat different than a standard resume. In the business world, hiring managers shouldn't be concerned with the appearance of the job applicant. But a casting director looking to fill a role on stage, film, or television may be looking for special physical characteristics in the actor. This is just one of the attributes that make resumes for actors a bit special.
In this publication, we're going to provide some guidance on the topic of resumes for actors and actresses. As part of that guidance, we're going to review the various styles of resumes, and determine which style is most appropriate for someone looking for an acting job. Then we'll move on to some of the special considerations that need to be addressed on the resume. Finally, we'll provide an example resume that can be downloaded for free.
Resume Styles for Actors
When choosing a resume style for an acting position, it's important to understand the relative strengths and weaknesses of each style. While our example will be tailored to someone with more acting roles under their belt, the information below is valuable for those with less working experience.
There are currently three resume styles in use today:
- Chronological Resume - the chronological resume is the most popular of all resume types. Its focus is on where you've worked in the past, with secondary consideration for the knowledge and skills you've gained. The concept of chronology is one that is helpful when putting together a resume for an actor.
- Functional Resume - by contrast, the functional resume approach would emphasize training over past acting roles or assignments.
- Combination Resume - the combination resume style is an attempt to truly provide the best of both worlds. It gives the reader both vital information right up front as well as a reverse chronological listing of your work experience. Unlike a business resume, past acting roles will be placed earlier in the resume document than formal education or specialized skills.
Since the combination resume is arguably the most complex resume format you can use, our acting example is going to be in that style.
Special Considerations for Acting Resumes
When preparing an actor's resume, we're going to make four modifications to the standard combination format. These adjustments are necessary to reflect the unique nature of the acting profession, including:
- Vital Statistics - while most employers should not be interested in the appearance of their employees, it is important information for casting directors because the role might require an actor to possess certain physical attributes.
- Photograph - as explained above, physical characteristics are important when casting a role. In the example we provide later on, we'll have a placeholder for a picture.
- Specialties / Special Skills - this is just a natural extension of the skills section of a resume. The categories of skills will reflect the demands of certain character roles. For example, playing a musical instrument, the ability to ride a horse, or perform certain stunts.
- Past Employment / Experience - the combination resume format contains a listing of past employment in reverse chronological order. The employment listings often describe the position held as well as accomplishments. In our actor's resume, we'll reformat this section to include the character played as well as the media venue.
Writing an Acting Resume
While it's tempting for an actor to take a less-formal approach to preparing their resume, this is done at the risk of losing a job. It is a mistake for rising stars to think it's a good idea to let their personality shine through on their resume. Witty comments are best said at the appropriate time; don't let them be a show-stopper on your resume.
Sample Resumes for Actors
As we've already mentioned, a resume for an actor is going to deviate a bit from the standard format. Our example is going to clearly illustrate those differences, with the ultimate objective of producing a resume that will grab the attention of the casting director.
You can download the sample here - Acting Resume. As always, the examples we provide are just that, examples. Our hope is that all of the examples we provide on this website will help our readers to generate ideas of their own. There is simply no substitute for the unique work experiences and qualifications that each of us has gained through the years.
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