Just as you would for any job, you must provide a CV (Curriculum Vitae or personal history) to prospective agents, casting, producers and drama schools.So you will need to prepare your original CV to present prospective employers and to use when you go to auditions.
Your CV is a history of your acting experience, education, qualifications and the roles you've played. It is an important document. It is used for a lot of things.
For example:
- It shows your experience and training.
- It reminds the casting people who you are, long after you've left the room and they've seen another five hundred hopefuls.
- It is your first opportunity to sell your performance skills and talents to someone who is hoping you are the one they are looking for.
- It is the instrument that can motivate someone to call you in for an audition.
Therefore, your CV should reflect your thoughtful consideration of what is important for you to project as well as your consideration of what the casting people are interested in.There isn't really any "correct" format, which is why you see so many. Of course knocking any old thing together won't help. The person looking at your CV won't spend much time trying to find the important information. So your job is to make your CV neat, clear, concise, easy to read and make sure it contains only relevant information.Include a brief cover letter if it is relevant to the situation. One page, a few short paragraphs. Don't write a lot of philosophical babble, explanations, apologies or other waffle.
Keep it brief. Keep it clear. Keep to the point.
TYPE your CV. Do not hand write it.
Check your spelling. Get someone else who is good at spelling and grammar to double-check it.
Include a short introduction. Maybe a brief statement about how you came to contact the person you are hoping to audition for. Did a mutual acquaintance suggest the contact? Use it.
Perhaps a line or two about why you are eager to have them see your work. A simple sentence or two flattering the recipient's own performance, directorial skills or well deserved reputation won't hurt - but don't get all stupid about it and don't ask for an autograph!
Here are some guidelines for your CV:
- Limit it to one or two pages only.
- Attach your photograph to your CV. Some actors trim their CV to fit the size of their headshot photograph.
- Your name should appear at the top.
- If you have union affiliations, put those at the top.
- Also at the top, put what you are trained to do (e.g.: Singer, Dancer, Actor...whatever)
- Put how someone can contact you - SAFELY.
Keep in mind that security IS an issue. Having a bunch of CV's floating around the world with your picture, phone numbers and other personal information can be a problem if unsavory people get a hold of one. Believe it or not this really does happen and you could easily be duped into placing yourself into a dangerous situation. You should seriously consider a pager or answering service and a PO box instead of placing your home phone and home address on your CV. Remember - sending personal details to strangers can be dangerous as can sending anything over the Internet.SO BE CAREFUL. PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY. PROTECT YOURSELF. THINK FIRST AND IF IN DOUBT GET ADVICE FROM SOMEONE YOU TRUST WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT!
When you get an agent, then put your agent's contact info on your CV instead of your own - so that all enquiries first go through your agent - after all, what else are you paying them for?!
- Height, weight, measurements (for models or if you think it might help), clothing size, hair colour, eye colour, vocal range (if you are a singer), union affiliations (not always included especially if you are not yet a union member) should be near the top, easy to find and read.
- Generally, credits are listed by show name first then the role you played, the director and / or producer (if notable) and theatre or production company.
- DO NOT LIE ABOUT YOUR CREDITS. The professional acting community is relatively small and your lies will come back to bite you one day. REMEMBER - Good reputations take years to build. Bad reputations are created overnight.
- Try to organise your experience section (acting, singing, dancing, whatever) in some sort of logical order that will highlight your strong points. If you are trying out for a part that needs a strong singing voice, and if you have a strong singing voice, then you will want to place your singing experience at the beginning of your experience section.
- Try to make your experience reflect the kind of part for which you are auditioning. For instance, if you are auditioning for a heavy drama, don't put your light comedy roles first. Put your heavy drama roles first!
What if you don't have any heavy drama roles? Only musical comedy roles? Do your best on your CV and then try to build up some heavy drama experience (assuming that's what you want to do.)
If the part you want requires a strong singing voice, but you have a weak singing voice - try out for a different part.
- Same for acting, dancing or whatever.
- Don't include "extra" work. A lot of actors use extra work to pay the bills, but it doesn't belong on your CV.
- A section for relevant education can also be helpful, especially if you received training from some noteworthy school, organisation or instructor.
- Toward the bottom, put other skills you have that might be appealing, such as: horseback riding, skiing, billiards, mountain climbing, handball, tennis, skating, playing an instrument, etc.
These skills might throw a part your way.
If you don't have much experience? Do the best you can. Highlight your strongest points. Then work hard to build up experience. As you perform in more and more productions, you will start to build an extensive list of experience. At some point you will want to start dropping the weaker items from your list. Begin cutting those school shows, extra roles (if you decided to put them on anyway), tiny or ensemble parts, non-speaking roles, etc.If the CV is not for any specific role or person (like one you might send to an agency) then it should be geared to reflect the kind of work you hope to get (and are trained and skilled enough to do well.)
You should develop different types of CV for different roles. For instance, you may want to have both a theatre and a film CV, if you have done extensive work in both areas, and one for radio work and on for theatre in education, and so on.
Finally, keep improving your CV by working on improving your skills.
Develop more skills.
Take workshops, classes, private lessons and perform in whatever you can.
REMEMBER: An actor… ACTS!
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