Using the SPECIAL SKILLS List for Your Resume

HOW TO USE THE SPECIAL SKILLS LIST FOR YOUR RESUME 1 1. FIRST, LOOK AT THE RESUME SAMPLES ALSO PROVIDED ON ACADEMIA.EDU The biggest red flag of an “amateur” is a sloppy resume, padded in all the wrong places. Also on my page at Academia.edu (and under the products page on ActorMuscle.com) are a resume template and sample. Carefully review these before creating your own. The first resume sample is a 3-column format, with tabs, margins, headers, and footers. Credits lead with Film and Television, which is the typical layout for the Los Angeles market. This template is a fully automated plug-in and you can begin typing your resume right away without the headache of formatting columns. A second sample in the 4-column format is one that some actors prefer; this is commonly seen on the East Coast. Note the difference: it begins with a Theatre section, followed by Film. On the East Coast and other regional markets outside of Los Angeles, having strong theatre credits is highly respected and is often the leadoff point to a resume. Different market, different layout. For the very last part of your “Training” section, download the “Special Skills” list hosting several pages of abilities and talents. Many young actors are actually stumped by “Special Skills,” not believing (or not knowing) they have more than credits to offer on a resume. This list is to help jumpstart you in listing those abilities. As a rule, you should list only the things you do very, very well. Excellence is the key. 2. UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC & FORMAT OF THE RESUME Credit Headers are usually in bold, slightly larger than 12 pt. font, and underlined on a resume. If you don’t have any credits yet under a particular header, just delete that header/section and move on to the next one. This is the order in which an LA resume is commonly organized: FILM TELEVISION WEB COMMERICAL THEATRE TRAINING Acting Voice (Singing range. Dialects) Languages (only if you are fluent) Dance/Movement Special Skills Credits must be easy to read and understand. Standard layouts use 12-point type, and no smaller than 10-point. Be sure to double-check all spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Credits must be acting roles from full productions, not background/extra work, nor scene work from a scene class. HOW TO USE THE SPECIAL SKILLS LIST FOR YOUR RESUME 2 3. HOW TO USE THE TRAINING SECTION There is some controversy regarding listing every single teacher you’ve studied with at a university or acting program. Most students have emotional attachments and want to acknowledge their teachers, but the truth is that most of them are not recognized by the industry outside of campus. Unless the instructors are renowned, “Master” teachers, or affiliated with heavyweights like Yale, Guthrie, or Steppenwolf, it’s more important to list the institution and the type of training, rather than the individual. For instance, list your training as technique, scene study, Shakespeare, commercial workshop, etc. It’s also acceptable to name the type of acting “method” such as Adler, Meisner, Hagen, or others. Honestly, they don’t care that Joe Blow from community college taught you “vocal production,” they just care that you have a spectacular British accent or Louisiana dialect. 4. The SPECIAL SKILLS within your TRAINING section ~ Special skills are the hobbies, sports, awards, and unusual abilities that give you more humor and depth as a person; they qualify you for particular needs of an acting role (such as tumbling or fencing.) As a rule, you should list only those things you do very, very well. I took two years of Spanish in high school, but that does not make me fluent or proficient, so I don’t list “languages.” Military duty/training, weapons training, and national competitions are also okay to list in this section, but add only those skills that might lend themselves to acting roles. Some actors have worked as “Techies” – but you should not list any production crew experience whatsoever. It will work against you on an acting resume, just as words-per-minute and typing skills are needed for a secretarial position but not an acting role. Additionally, if you are physically impaired or disabled in some way, embrace it – own it. I had one student who was partially deaf, which affected both his hearing and his speech. Instead of apologizing or running away from it, at the very top of his Special Skills section he listed: “FABULOSITY: Partially Hearing Impaired.” Gotta love an actor with moxie. 5. CAUTIONARY NOTE ON SPECIAL SKILLS: Do not overload Special Skills to make up for a lack of credits. I’ve seen actors fill up one third of their resume with this – it’s overkill, screams “amateur” and looks desperate. It would be better to add an additional thumbnail of an alternative headshot in the footer, or add links to your online casting profiles that it would to list every class you’ve taken. Here is an example of the typical Training Section: TRAINING ACTING: Adler Technique, Scene Study, Script Breakdown, Shakespeare, Film & Television Audition Technique, Commercial workshops. FLORIDA STATE U - Bachelor of Fine Arts DANCE: Extensive Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Folk, Ballroom, Tap, Gymnastics VOICE: Mezzo-Soprano/Belt Dialects: Irish, Russian, Boston, Southern SPECIAL SKILLS: Horseback Riding, Softball, Stage Combat, Weapons, Diving, Circus Clown HOW TO USE THE SPECIAL SKILLS LIST FOR YOUR RESUME 3 Please utilize all of the resources I’ve provided at Academia.edu to present a streamlined presentation when looking for an agent, meeting a casting director, or submitting yourself for a role. There is much more information available to you on resumes and presenting the proper professional package in my book, “Actor Muscle: Craft. Grit. Wit. A Professional Guide to the Business of Acting.” 2013 in Print and All Digital Formats: Amazon/Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyz7lfl iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/clqfhaq Barnes & Noble/Nook: http://tinyurl.com/dxyc9sx Sony eReader: http://tinyurl.com/ckmono2 Scribd: http://tinyurl.com/kllwr6y Break a leg! And, Carpe Diem! Bev.