After your headshots (photos) and showreel (video of your work), your CV (curriculum vitae or résumé) is the most important document you send to a casting director (CD).

It tells them who you are and what acting work you have done.

What to include in your CV #

Here is what a good, basic acting CV should include:

1. About You

Write these details at the top of your CV:

• Your professional name (the name you use for acting)
• Your email address (or your agent’s email)
• Your nationality and the languages you can act in
• Your current location (city and country)
• Your height and weight – if it’s not clear from your photos

Note: it's ok to include your agent's telephone number, but never include your telephone number; remember, your CV is in the public domain!

2. Your Credits

This is your acting experience. Only list jobs related to acting.

Organize your credits into groups:

• Film
• TV
• Theatre
• Commercials

Start with the most recent job. For each job, write:

1. The title
2. The director
3. Your role (what character you played)
4. The year

Important: If you have a lot of experience, only include the most important jobs. Leave out small roles if you have bigger roles to show.

3. Other Information

At the end of your CV, you can add other useful details such as:

• Where you trained as an actor
• Links to your website, IMDb, enCAST profile, etc.
• Special skills like stunts, dancing, sports, or military training

Important: Don’t add photos in your CV. The casting director has already seen your headshots and now they just want to learn about your experience. One small photo at the top of the CV is more than enough.

CV Format #

Write your CV using Word, OpenOffice, or another program. Then save it as a PDF.

Try to keep your CV to 1 page, or maximum 2 pages. If you have a lot of experience, you can make different versions:

• One CV for film
• One CV for theatre
• One CV for TV

Also, translate your CV into all the languages you work in. For example, if you apply for jobs in English, German, and French, make a version in each language.

How to Save Your CV as PDF

In most programs, go to File > Save As and choose PDF.

You can also use a free online tool like Adobe’s Word to PDF Converter, or if your file is RTF, use an RTF to PDF Converter.

Important: your CV must not be more than 1 MB in size; it will be sent by email and so you must keep it as small a filesize as possible.

Conclusion #

Casting Directors don’t want to read a long biography or see extra photos. They just want to quickly see your acting experience and a few personal details. 

You want to get them interested in learning more about you. You don't want to bore them.

So remember: Keep it short and simple.