A resume is a one or two page document that contains vital information about the applicant’s academic background, skill sets and professional experience, if any. This formal document is the primary weapon to convince the employer that the job-seeker is worth interviewing. Thus, one must spend enough time to carefully draft a resume and attach a cover-letter with it. This holds true even for an actor whose looks and acting ability may seem to hold utmost importance while applying for the same position. But that is not completely true. Along with possessing immense talent and impressive personality, you must prepare a resume in order to emphasize your credits and proficiency.

Few Tips on How to Write Your Actor Resume

Whether you are new in the glamour world or have tons of experience, the casting director may take just 10-20 seconds to have a glance at your resume. So you have to organize all that you want your director to read, in a simple and clear way. To make a resume that will catch immediate attention of the reader, you must follow some basic guidelines.

Include all the essential information in one page only. A standard headshot is eight inches by ten inches. Since you need to staple the resume at the back of your headshot, the resume page should also be of the same size.

Quality matters more than quantity, at least in the showbiz world. So don’t go listing every credit in your resume. The director will try to get a hint of your work from the type of work you have done, not from the number of characters you have played.

Keep the resume simple and clean by leaving some white space.

You must include your contact no. and email id.

Include information which is true and not exaggerated.

Be professional while listing your special skills. Stargazing, growing beard etc. are not special skills at all.

Along with all these, you must have a look at the don’ts of writing an actor’s resume:

Don’t forget to draft a professional cover letter highlighting your skills.

Don’t go for phrases like “experienced actor” or “years of working in the industry”, if you are a beginner or have no professional credits.

If you are an experienced actor and have your manager, don’t ever think of putting his/her contact no instead of yours. Sometimes directors or agents want to contact the actor he/she will be working with, directly.

Do not include your sun sign and social security number.

Whether you have worked for films, theatre or ad commercials, try to create separate categories. Don’t include all your work experiences under one category, as the reader may find it difficult and haphazard to understand.

Don’t use sexually suggestive photos.

Actor Resume Sample Gabriel Miller 256-422-6777

gabrielmiller.miller@example.com Height 5 feet 10 inch Weight 162 lbs Eyes Brown Hair Black Complexion Fair Physique Muscular Summary A committed, goal-oriented and highly motivated actor with 5 years of acting in television and theatre and looking forward to enhance my skills and aptitude so as to build my career in the world of glitz and glamour. Experience Theatre Memories John (supporting actor) New Perspectives Theatre Emma H Cinderella Prince New Perspectives Theatre Emma H Summer Letters Antony (hero) Shakespeare Arts Lyod Man Hamlet King Claudius Theatre of Innovation Karen Hill Death at a Funeral Mark(hero) Theatre of Innovation Karen Hill Television Affairs of Tom Clark (supporting actor) Eros Production Samuel Many Moons Roger (lead actor) Marigold Films William Laugh out Loud Hary (lead actor) Sunset Production House Richard J Training Theatre of Aesthetics (for scene study and dance), Alabama

Introduction to Acting(on-going-on-camera technique class), Beaver College, Alabama

National School of Drama(for anchoring), Alabama Special Skills Horse riding, juggling, singing, modelling, Intermediate Spanish Educational Qualifications Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2005 Beaver College, Alabama Personal Information Date of Birth: 10th Dec, 1984

Languages known: English, German

Hobbies: Singing, wildlife photography, hitting the gym

You must not jazz up your resume with irrelevant information. Don’t worry if you never did any acting in the past. Every person has to start somewhere. Be confident about your talent and credits. With a wonderful resume, you can take your first tiny step to make it big in the showbiz industry.