Resume Workshop

Sample resumes are a dime a dozen on the internet.  I just put one together myself, for John Doe.  I made his address and phone number up off the top of my head, which means that they might belong to people I've never heard of.  Anyway, here it is:  

 

Now, when making a resume, these are the things you should keep in mind:

Theater Programs for Young People

As a beginning actor, you’ll meet your fair share of people who will basically tell you that they’ve been acting about as long as they’ve been breathing.  This might be true; I really can’t say.

I’ve been acting since I was five or six, but I joined my first real theater program at ten.  I come from a very small town, but there were some real excellent programs where I lived, and I spent my summers in them until I was fifteen.

The best programs will put on a show over a summer, and will also include some “classes” where the kids will learn about things like voice technique and theater games. 

Such programs can be a lot of fun, and give young people experience both as actors and as people working in group (useful for any career).

They generally cater to the age range between nine and eighteen.

You might be in the age group to join one of these programs still, or maybe you know someone else who can.

It’s also possible that you’re interested in theater but can’t reasonably join a program like the ones I did while I was younger. 

I’d like to talk about the activities I found most useful, and what you can learn from them too.

A Word on Professionalism

Actors are a fairly forgiving bunch, in my experience, and you could certainly choose a much tougher career to start out in.

Sure, getting into a theater production is a little hit or miss, but there are often plenty of beginners in a given show.

You don't always need to know much about theater to do well in it.

That said, there are things you can do- some I've mentioned before, some I'll mention in later posts, and some I may well forget- which will make you look professional and experienced and will help you not only get roles, but keep getting them.

Bios

Writing a bio is fairly simple.  In fact, someone working at your theater might even give you a sample bio when they ask for one.  If not, here are a few tips:

Some Tips to Get a Great Headshot

...Or, maybe I should rephrase it as "Tips to Get the Most Useful Headshot."

I'm not a photographer.  I don't even take pictures of my friends, or of places I visit.  Thus, I really have no idea what makes one portrait better than another.  I do have a few notes, however, on how to make sure you have the right kind of headshot to hand to a director.

A Few Thoughts on the OCD Actor

This is an addendum to some concepts I mentioned on the checklist here, but that isn't essential reading.

I sometimes think that worst thing about being OCD has nothing to do with the inconvenience of the rituals, or even the sometimes physically painful anxiety.  It's feeling so alone.

You walk through life with what you will always feel are utterly valid concerns, and you'll constantly turn around to find that other people just don't understand.

Checklist for the Actor

Putting on a show is about lots of elements and people coming together into one (hopefully) brilliant whole.  It can be amazing to watch whether you have a big part in the process or not.

However, this is also a ridiculously stressful experience.

I double check if I packed something, or noticed the right rehearsal time, constantly.  In fact, I triple and quadruple check.  I went to rehearsal once when I knew full well it was canceled just because I was afraid that I might have gotten the wrong message and would miss it instead.

Eventually, there comes a time when you have to let go of those kinds of preoccupations and just let it all happen.

For me, the only time that I ever manage it is a show night, when I'm on stage and that second long "Oh crap, what's my line?" moment during the line before mine is over, and then performance is really on. 

Everything moment between that one and the day I auditioned has the potential to be terrifying, because no matter how many classes you've taken, or tips you've read, or shows you've done, there's only so prepared you can ever be.  

That said, I've made a checklist of things you should always have or be doing whether you're in the middle of a show or about to audition for one.

I have either done posts relating to these things, or will do them shortly.  I'll link them on this post.

The checklist is as follows.