by David Collins
There is no business like show business. Just like other professions, show biz has set ways of conducting business and doing things. Like other industries, in order to be a part of the movie business, you will need to submit a résumé. Your résumé speaks volumes about you as an individual and how much you can contribute to your acting, besides your work experience. Tacky, unformatted résumés are a complete death message and must be avoided at all costs!
As an aspiring actor you need to have total knowledge about how to create a prospective actors résumé which will include every experience that you have gained since childhood. You can also include the experiences that have influenced you to most and why. This could be a plus point. If you have acted in school dramas or theatre productions, then mentioning it on your résumé will take you a step ahead. Your résumé is your ticket to an audition and of course to stardom.
Now for what your résumé should look like. For starters, ensure that your résumé has your contact details like name, phone number, and email at the top. This information has to be prominently featured. Try to make the information bold or increase the font size. A potential employer will see this information and then contact you for a job or an audition. All your union affiliations should be clearly visible on your résumé. Until the time you are hired and under contract, you really do not need to provide more than your contact number and your email. Avoid giving your postal address unless absolutely necessary or asked for.
Another piece of information that you absolutely need to avoid giving out is your Social Security number. In these times of digital identity thefts, you will need to safeguard your interests first. Make sure that there are no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors in your résumé. The casting directors usually tend to notice if your résumé looks sloppy.
Moving on, mention your directors according to productions you have acted in. A good director's name has value attached to it and it will surely make a difference. Also if you can name some directors as references it will be useful. Your résumé should be able to provide the entire range of work done. Display your educational qualifications. And remember you shall have to tailor make your résumé to cater to specific roles. Ex: If you are applying for a role in a musical then you need to list your musical theatre experience.
Avoid making a mess of your résumé. A clean and structured résumé fetches more attention than a cluttered résumé. As a movie actor you can be creative in how you display all the relevant information. But remember to have a semblance and specific presentation pattern. After all, your résumé is your ticket to success in the world of Show Biz and you don't want to miss boarding the flight!!
David Collins is a talent coordinator for a successful variety television show. His career in television spans over 15 years.Copyright © David Collins.
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