special skills on a resume - Actors Forum is the Community to Talk, Learn and Study Acting.

misteriobanderas · 09-12-2007, 01:27 PM

i noticed on acting resumes that people list skills such as singing, dance, juggling and many others. how important is it to have such things on your resume and does it have an impact with people when they read it?

the reason why i ask is because i have some background in tae kwon do(red belt) and was wondering if i should list it on my resume?

SWK78 · 09-13-2007, 09:19 PM

YES!!!

The special skills area says something about the performer to the casting director! It is the ... cream of your act, if you will. The special skills you list can be the dividing line for if you get a part above another. Take this for example: You audition for a part that requires your character to ride on a horse to rescue a damsel. You have had experience riding a horse for a good many years, but you forget to put it on your resume. Another guy walks in, looks almost like you, has great acting talent that is the same level as your own talent, but he did mention that he's taken riding lessons, and that he's been riding for two years. The casting director, however, does not call you in to solidly interview you about what you can do; they want to see your acting talent. That's their first job. The narrow the field between people who can and cannot act. Then they'll look at special skills. You both audition, you both get callbacks. It's down to the two of you. However when the casting director discusses who they think will be better suited, the other guy is chosen. Why? Because, hey look here, he knows how to ride, and the other guy "apparently" doesn't. The kid's (you) got talent, but we'd have to call in the stunt double for that day, set up some extra takes so that we can get close-ups of the lead and distance shots when the double's riding, and the confusion will be astronomical. If I were you, Bob (our imaginary director here), I'd go with the one who's got riding skills. However, you DO have riding skills too, don't you? But do they know that? Nope.

So, what can be learned. List everything that you can do. Even dialects. Put down your tae kwon do, you never know if it'll be a spec. skill that'll get you the job over "that other guy".