Things You'll Need:
- Word processor
- Paper
- Printer
- Paper Cutter
- Stapler
- Headshots (8 x 10 photos)
-
Step 1
Open a new, blank document in the word processor of your choice. Don't bother using any resume templates that came with the program - they weren't meant for actors! The margins should be large enough so that everything you type fits into an 8-inch by 10-inch space.
-
Step 2
Type your name, centered, in BIG, bold, letters. You want someone to be able to read it while standing up, looking at a bunch of resumes on the floor.
-
Step 3
If you belong to one or more of the actor unions (SAG, AFTRA, AEA), list them in somewhat smaller type, centered under your name.
-
Step 4
Next, put your statistics (Height, Weight, Hair, Eye Color) on the left and your contact information on the right. If you have an agent, they agent should tell you what information to put here. They may even give you a graphic file to insert into your resume with the agency logo and phone number. If you do not have an agent, put your own cell phone and e-mail address here.
-
Step 5
If you will be using this resume to get film and TV work, this is where you list your film credits. (If you will be using this resume mostly to get cast in stage plays, skip to Step 7 and then come back to Steps 5 and 6.)
Type "Film" at the left margin and then list your film credits in a three-column format: title, type of role, and director. The type of role can be "Lead" (one of the largest roles) "Supporting" (a mid-size role) or "Principal." Do not list "extra" or "background" roles. Casting directors do not consider these to be acting.
You can list student projects, short subjects, and ultra-low-budget independent films, and you don't need to mark them in any special way. Casting directors know this is where beginning actors get their start. As your career develops, you can drop some of these credits and replace them with major features.
If you have already worked on a major film or with a well-known director, list them first. Otherwise, list them in order of the size of your role. Omit this heading if you haven't done any film roles. -
Step 6
"Television" always follows "Film." Enter your TV credits in a three-column format. The types of roles for TV are "Regular," "Guest Star," and "Co-Star" (and "Principal" and "Under-5" for AFTRA shows). Again, the word ""extra" or "background" should not appear on your resume. Instead of listing directors in the third column, you may choose to list the networks or production companies.
-
Step 7
Under the heading "Theater," list any stage credits you have, again using the three-column format. Traditionally, this is the only category in which you name the role. If, for example, you played Ophelia in Hamlet, You would list it as "Ophelia," not "Lead" or "Supporting." However, if you starred in a play that you could not reasonably expect a casting director to know, it's OK to put "(lead)" after the character's name. In the third column, some actors list the theater or theater company rather than the director.
-
Step 8
"Commercials" is the fourth category for credits, but it is not customary to list them on your resume. Instead, just type "List available on request."
-
Step 9
Now type the heading "Training," followed by any acting classes or workshops you have taken, again using the three-column format (class, institution or program, instructor's name).
-
Step 10
The next category, "Skills," is a great opportunity to set yourself apart. First list those skills that are most likely to be prized in an actor: singing, dancing, stage combat, fluency in foreign languages, dialects (accents), to name a few. TV casting directors often look for athletes or actors with real-world experience in nursing, police work, or the military. Even mundane things like riding a bicycle or using a stick shift are special skills because not everyone can do them.
-
Step 11
Carefully check your spelling and formatting, and have a friend look over a printed copy for you; it's always easier to catch someone else's typos. Only when you're sure it's perfect should you make multiple copies.
-
Step 12
Trim each resume to fit on the back of a headshot with no overhang. Using a paper cutter, or craft knife and straight edge, will give you better results than most people can get with scissors. If you had your copies made at a copy center, they may trim for you as part of the service or for a small fee.
-
Step 13
Attach your resume to your headshot with two staples, one near the top and one near the bottom.
-
Step 14
As long as you're acting, your resume will never be finished. Review it frequently and update it whenever you join one of the unions, change your hair color, gain or lose a significant amount of weight, change representation, have a significant new credit, receive more training, or acquire a new skill.
