Guidelines for a Filmmaker's Resume
GUIDELINES FOR A FILMMAKER’S RESUME
Compiled by Elizabeth Abbott. Additional thanks to Anna Adams and University of Utah Career Services
For additional information, contact:
Heidi Vogeler, Career Counselor
(801) 422-6535
Below are some general guidelines for a filmmaker’s resume. It is important to remember however, that the answer to
most resume questions is, ―It Depends‖. Think of your resume as an advertisement for you. Think from an employer’s
perspective: What are they looking for? Cater your resume to the needs of the employer and you have a good chance at
landing an interview. Good luck!
GENERAL INFORMATION:
LENGTH: Your resume should fill one or two complete pages (no partial pages). In general, if you are an
undergraduate student or recent graduate with modest experience, limit your resume to one page. Make it visually
attractive and easy to read.
PAPER: Use quality plain paper (white, light cream, or very pale gray). Do not use paper with visible flecks in it.
FONT: Use a standard font for the main text of your resume (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Garamond). Text size
should be 10-12 points. Your name and section headings can be a bit larger and can employ other fonts—as long as
they are readable. Fully utilize design tools, including bolding, • bullets, italics, underlining, and ALL CAPITALS.
ORDER: In English, we read from top to bottom and from left to right. Readers lose interest as they read down and
across the page. You should prioritize information in order of importance, with the most important text up high and to
the left where it is most likely to be read. This is true for your resume as a whole and within each section. For a current
student or new grad with little or no professional film experience, the education section should be listed toward the top.
A more experienced filmmaker would put his or her professional experience first and move education closer to the
bottom.
ABBREVIATIONS: Minimize use of abbreviations. Do not assume the reader of your resume knows the meaning of
any abbreviation. The only exceptions to this rule are:
College Degrees: BA, MFA, PhD, etc. State Abbreviations: UT, AZ, CA, NY, etc.
ACCURACY: Check spelling, grammar, and information very carefully! Make sure all information is accurate and
truthful. Also, be sure your formatting is consistent (fonts, using/not using colons, etc.). Finally, proofread your resume
out loud to pick up any hidden errors.
CATEGORIES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR RESUME:
1) HEADER:
NAME: Your name should be the largest thing on the page – but not too large. It may be centered, right
justified, or left justified. This is up to you. Be creative with the font used for your name, but be sure it is
readable. Remember, this is your marketing tool, so the formatting should be clear and attractive.
TITLE: This is optional and should only be used if you have experience. Beneath your name, you may wish to
list the title of your specialty (e.g. sound editor / mixer or cinematographer).
CONTACT INFO: Your physical address is optional, but be sure to include a contact phone number (cell
phone or other phone with voicemail) and an email address. Do not list your work phone number or work
email address. Be certain your e-mail address sounds professional (e.g., not ―HotLi[email protected]‖). If you have
one, you may list your film-related website and/or the web link to your profile on IMDB.
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