How to Make an Acting Resume – The Ultimate Guide

How to Make an Acting Resume

An acting resume is more than just a list of your acting credits. It’s a showcase of your talent, experience, and potential. Whether you’re just starting or have years of experience, a well-crafted actor resume can open doors to auditions and roles. Let’s delve into how to make an acting resume that stands out.

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Understanding the Purpose of an Acting Resume

An acting resume provides casting directors, agents, and directors with a snapshot of your experience, skills, and suitability for a role. It also shows where you’ve worked, and who you know in the industry. This is important because the best way to get hired is from a positive recommendation from someone they know and trust.

Essential Components of an Acting Resume

1. Personal Information

Start with your name, prominently at the top. Include your contact information, but for safety, avoid listing your home address. A phone number, email address, and your agent’s contact details (if applicable) are sufficient.

2. Physical Characteristics

List your physical attributes that are relevant to casting: height, eye color, and hair color. This helps casting directors visualize you in a role. Listing your weight can be a controversial thing depending on who you ask, but if you feel comfortable doing so, it’s okay. On sites like Actors Access, you can submit a “size card” which has all this and more for a casting director to see.

3. Experience

Divide your experience into sections: Theater, Film, Television, Commercials, and Voiceover. For each role, list the production name, your role, and the director or production company. Arrange them in reverse chronological order, or from newest to oldest. You can also list them by which roles you feel represent what kind of role you are going for these days. If you used to do younger roles, but are now older, you can list older roles first to show where your career is headed.

4. Training

Include any acting classes, workshops, and formal education. Mention the institution, if you have a degree, and the instructor’s name.

5. Skills

Highlight special skills: accents, languages, singing, dancing, musical instruments, martial arts, etc. Be honest about your proficiency.

6. Awards and Recognition

If you have any, include awards or notable achievements in acting. This is not as necessary for a professional actor’s resume, although if you have won an award people would know about (like a Tony or Oscar), you can certainly include that.

Formatting Your Resume

• Keep it to one page. Casting directors have limited time.
• Use a professional, easy-to-read font like Arial or Times New Roman, size 10-12 points.
• Ensure proper alignment and spacing for readability.

Attaching Your Headshot

Traditionally, your headshot is printed on a separate page, and then stapled to the back of your resume. I personally prefer to print my headshots on thick card stock so you can print your resume directly on the back of the headshot, since cutting and stapling resumes takes time and effort. If you’re submitting digitally, include them as separate files in the same email or application.

Tailoring Your Resume for Specific Roles

Customize your resume to highlight experience relevant to the role you’re auditioning for. This shows casting directors that you’re a suitable fit.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Exaggeration: Be truthful about your experience and skills.
• Irrelevant Information: Don’t include non-acting work unless it’s directly relevant.
• Poor Formatting: Avoid cluttered or hard-to-read resumes.
• Typos and Errors: Proofread your resume meticulously.

Where to Get Feedback

Have a mentor, acting coach, or a peer review your resume. Constructive feedback can greatly improve its quality. Just know that everyone has a different opinion on resumes and there is no one perfect resume. As long as it’s clear, legible, and represents you well, it will do its job. Don’t worry about trying to please everyone.

Updating Your Resume

Regularly update your resume as you gain more experience, skills, and training. After each new project or show, you want to add that to your resume.

How to Make an Acting Resume – Conclusion

Your acting resume is a critical tool in your acting career. It reflects your journey, skills, and the roles you aspire to play. By following these guidelines, you can create an effective resume that captures the attention of industry professionals and helps you land the roles you desire. Or at least help you get into the right audition rooms.

Bonus Tips

• Online Presence: Consider having an online version of your resume on your acting website.
• Digital Format: Always have a digital copy ready for email submissions or online applications.

In conclusion, an acting resume is a living document that evolves with your career. It’s not just a formality but a reflection of your professional journey in the world of acting. Crafting it with care and precision can significantly influence your chances of success in this industry.

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Questions?

Please leave a comment if you have a specific question about your resume.