How to Write an Entertainment Resume
Some may consider making a living as an entertainer, whether it be an actor or a musician, a bit of a pipe dream. In reality, the entertainment industry employs thousands of people on both sides of the camera, and if you're looking to make a serious bid at celebrity, then it all comes down to how well you present yourself. You can craft a professional-looking resume suited to the industry, but take your time, since the resume is your calling card and your introduction to producers/casting directors/agents.
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Things You'll Need
- Scratch paper
- Pencil
- Word processor
- Resume-specific paper (recommended)
Instructions
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Jot down the names of any productions that you have appeared in. Then divide them into separate categories such as Film (movies), Theater (stage productions), Television (TV shows only) and Commercials. You can subcategorize any industrial spots you've done, such as a product spokesperson at a mall or an industrial film (i.e. the employee in a company training video). As a rule, you want to avoid naming high-school productions unless you are close to high school age.
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Write down the name of the character you played next to the production; if no name was given, write "general cast" or "chorus." If known, write the name of the director next to the production. Find out the name if not immediately known. Jot down any formal or informal training you may have had (it's a good idea to be enrolled in some acting classes at the time of writing the resume). List any special skills, like speaking in certain accents, physical skills or abilities.
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Open a new page on your word document program. Center your name and contact information at the very top (include cell phone numbers and an email). A few lines below the contact info, begin on the left side of the page and give your stats, like height, weight, hair and eye color, build and vocal style (even if not a singer, it lets casting get an idea of what you may sound like).
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Begin with the category you're most interested in, with the most recent credits first: list Film credits first if you're primarily looking for movie work, followed by TV, theater, etc. Reading left to right, under the appropriate header, type your resume to state the italicized name of the production. Hit the space bar several times to then type the name of the character, then space to the right to type the name of the director. List all credits in this manner.
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Complete listing all the credits, then use the bottom of the page to list your training, followed by your skills under the header "Skills." Use the applications on the word processor to create properly aligned columns and spaces. If you need to use a second page, do so, as this will only serve to show your experience to potential employers. Print several copies of your resume on the resume paper, to be included with your headshots when you mail them to agents/directors.
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Tips & Warnings
Always keep a saved resume on file; once you finished a project, add the production information to the resume to build your experience.
Resist the temptation to "pad" your resume by including productions you weren't a part of. Although a somewhat common practice, doing so may lead you to encounter a person actually from the production, exposing you to embarrassment and potentially not landing the job.
References
- Photo Credit clipboard with marking black and white image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
