Nice example, EL59!

SparklingAriel, from my POV, thankfully, resumes are not set in stone, so listing your training can be listed several ways, depending on personal preference, just as along as it gets to job done.

Don't worry so much about NY or LA. Hundreds of actors work both coasts and don't change their resumes according to cities, only according to whether they are auditioning for theatre or TV/film. In that case, whichever the audition is for, goes on top, regardless of the city. As long as it is easy to read and understand while also looking professional, it's fine.

When you want to include the instructor as well as the city the columns could be:
Scene Study/Joe Teacher/Joe's Acting School, LA
Commercial/Mike Pointer/Hey I Saw Your Commercial, LA

It also depends if you need to consolidate your credits, due to lack of space, due to increase of credits. When 3 columns and each class and instructor take up a lot of space, the instructors or schools can be listed next to the type of class, creating only 2 columns i.e.:


Scene Study: Joe Teacher, LA
Improv: The Second City, NY; The Groundlings/Advanced, LA
Commercial: Michael Donovan, LA; Michael Pointer, LA; TVI, NY
Voice: Mary Smith, NY; Mitzi Nesbitt, LA
or
Michael Donovan: On-camera Commercial Technique, Private Coaching
Larry Moss: Scene Study, Improv, Audition Technique, Private Coaching

And in LA or NY, sometimes you only need to list the instructor, because their name is well known and the name of the school isn't necessary.

Go to a book store and look at the books that are suggested throughout this thread, to see the various formats. Not all are exactly the same, but they all work for LA and NY.

Here's another great column on resumes by Bonnie Gillespie. http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/2008_10_06.html

Thanks guys =] !

quote:

Originally posted by Ms.Manager:
For theatrical, you should leave off;
hair
eyes
height
weight

Usually those items are only listed by actors with less experience, because they think it's what they're supposed to do. It's not.
Listing those items is not required (or expected) and, quite frankly, it gives casting directors reasons to say your wrong for a role before you have a chance to blow them away with an amazing reading. If needed for a character, you can always dye your hair, wear contacts (or heels or lifts), or gain/lose weight. You just don't want to give them something to say "no" to before you get your foot in the door of that audition room. Plus I've had clients whose appearance was not what the casting director initially had in mind (or how the role was originally described/written), but who gave such a great readings (and interesting takes on the characters) that they got hired and the roles were changed for them. Whenever I signed a new client who listed the H/E/H/W, I'd immediately remove it from their resumes and no casting director ever even mentioned it.

This is a very good point and I agree with this, especially if the actor has a body of work for which they are recognized.

I can see the actors adding their stats if they are not known, but their stats are a perfect fit for the description of the character/s they want to audition for, which might help them at least get called in because of fitting the description.

I can also see using the stats for commercials that cast quickly and don't have time to change their characters.

Hmmm, this is good to think about. It would be nice to have other agents/managers/CDs chime in on this. Hey SecretAgentMan, are you out there?

the height/weight thing really interests me.

Mominbiz - would the "rules" be different for children? Tween-aged kids can be all over the map size wise and it wouldn't be easy to tell from a headshot whether a 12 year old girl is 53" (clearly in the range for kid broadway roles) or 60" (clearly not).

Thoughts on height/weight for child actors?

quote:

Originally posted by Fluff:
the height/weight thing really interests me.

Mominbiz - would the "rules" be different for children? Tween-aged kids can be all over the map size wise and it wouldn't be easy to tell from a headshot whether a 12 year old girl is 53" (clearly in the range for kid broadway roles) or 60" (clearly not).

Thoughts on height/weight for child actors?

When my DS was still under 18, we were always told by agents on both coasts to include the height and weight on his resume. And in his case it was very important, because a few of his theatre contracts included height requirements. Casting would not have asked him to audition without an idea of his size, or if he did he would have been cut right away, had he not been the right height.

Bottom line for kids, IMO and other professionals we've worked with, is that the stats should be listed. And you're right, Fluff, you really can't tell the size of a child from their headshot. Even in a 3/4 shot, you can't really tell the child's actual size unless they are standing next to something to compare them against.

*Bump*

quote:

Originally posted by ELDORADO59:

quote:

Originally posted by Ms.Manager:
For theatrical, you should leave off;
hair
eyes
height
weight

Usually those items are only listed by actors with less experience, because they think it's what they're supposed to do. It's not.
Listing those items is not required (or expected) and, quite frankly, it gives casting directors reasons to say your wrong for a role before you have a chance to blow them away with an amazing reading. If needed for a character, you can always dye your hair, wear contacts (or heels or lifts), or gain/lose weight. You just don't want to give them something to say "no" to before you get your foot in the door of that audition room. Plus I've had clients whose appearance was not what the casting director initially had in mind (or how the role was originally described/written), but who gave such a great readings (and interesting takes on the characters) that they got hired and the roles were changed for them. Whenever I signed a new client who listed the H/E/H/W, I'd immediately remove it from their resumes and no casting director ever even mentioned it.

Interesting point. I've never heard this before. Thanks for sharing this new information.

My example is a more global all around example for in commercials, they usually want to know your height and weight. Also, headshots don't always tell the truth. For example, a girl could look skinny from waist up but be a fat-bottomed girl.

That is sooo true! I knew a girl who was about 130 from the face to the shoulders and OVER 400 the rest of the way down. Looks can be deceiving LOL.

*Bump*

Cover letters for the younger set. Babies, toddlers and young children. http://bbs.backstage.com/eve/f...=117106891#117106891

I can't stress this enough!

PLEEEEEEEASE CHECK YOUR SPELLING, especially in cover letters and resumes! You are trying to make a good impression. Correct spelling should always be a part of your professional image. http://bbs.backstage.com/eve/f...=964102102#964102102

Concerning "age" on your resume... should you put your age or your age range? Or nothing at all?

quote:

Originally posted by ELDORADO59:

quote:

Originally posted by amcooper:
Concerning "age" on your resume... should you put your age or your age range? Or nothing at all?

NOTHING!

NEVER give anything that indicates your age! NO dates, NO age, NO age range! You DON'T determine your age range, CASTING DIRECTORS do!

UNLESS, you look extremely young for your age, i.e., you still look like you're in junior high or high school, but are 18 and over. If your agent requests and/or you are submitting for a younger role, you can list your age range as 18 TPY (ToPlayYounger). That way, the CD will know you can be hired as an adult with no restrictions, but can still play younger roles.

Also, for children, do whatever your agent or manager requests. If not represented, it doesn't hurt to have an age range listed if the child looks younger than their age. I know of a couple of 13-14 years olds that can play 8-11. But, if the child looks older than they are, I would leave it off and leave that decision up to the CD.

*Bump*

good job

I was wondering if you wanted to add a theater credit and the show was a monologue show what do you put as your "role"?
Thanks