Free Downloadable Entertainment Resume Templates and Expert Writing Tips

9 Entertainment Resume Examples

There’s no single “correct” way to write a resume because each candidate highlights their skills and experiences differently. While everyone’s resume will look a little different, there’s three common ways it’ll be formatted. There are three types of resume formats: the chronological format, ideal for experienced professionals; the combination format, ideal for midcareer professionals; and the functional format, ideal for entry-level professionals. Each format showcases your key strengths and skills relevant to the entertainment industry first so as to draw attention to what you have to offer.

Listed below are sample resumes for each of these formats. Let’s analyze these and discover the benefits and drawbacks of each one.

Chronological resume

A chronological resume format is the most appropriate for candidates with more than 10 years of experience because it focuses on their work experience and career breakthroughs. When using this format, the work history section is what you need to detail the most. List your most recent work experience first, followed by previous work experiences.

A resume that shows extensive professional experience in any entertainment job — be it in acting, creating visual and audio content, or designing costumes — is sure to draw a recruiter’s attention. By using a chronological resume, experienced candidates can neatly document their career trajectory and professional accomplishments in the entertainment industry as shown below:

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  1. Actor: When an experienced actor portrays a character, the audience gets engrossed in the story and believes the character is real. Excellent projecting skills and previous work experience are crucial elements of an actor's credentials. The chronological resume provides a great way to highlight skills and how you used them in previous projects.
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  2. Cinematographer: A cinematographer crafts a film's feel through skillful application of camera, lighting and color techniques. The cinematographer oversees the lighting crew and is in charge of the camera. An entertainment resume in the chronological format like this one is ideal for experienced cinematographers seeking new opportunities because it highlights work experience and a solid professional summary.
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  3. Video producer: A video producer oversees the entire video production process. Additionally, the video producer supervises the creative direction, budget, scripts and communicates with the whole crew to ensure a smooth production within the stipulated timeline. The chronological resume is great to focus on the producer’s latest projects and how capable they are in their field.

Combination resume

Combination resumes are better suited for candidates with three to five years of experience or applying for roles at a mid to senior level. This detailed and thorough resume gives equal weight to the work history and the skills sections, making it equally ideal for career changers.

Less experienced candidates who have the required skills and knowledge for the role they’re after but lack years of experience can use the combination format to structure their entertainment resume to suit the following jobs:

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  1. Disc jockey (DJ): In a combination resume, skills are placed above the detailed work history to emphasize the candidate’s technical skills. Van Malone’s combination resume highlights his technical skills rather than his three-years work experience. For Malone, it makes more sense to feature his technical skills, such as voice-over production, and soundboard and radio board operation.
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  2. Costume designer: A costume designer is in charge of the overall designing of the garments for any film, TV, stage show or video creation. Through this combination resume, Cary Martin has managed to showcase her relevant skills which complement her work history and make her an ideal fit for the role she wants.
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  3. Video producer: In addition to overseeing the entire video production process, a video producer must handle editing, project organization, concept generation, casting and more. Highlighting these essential skills on a resume is crucial to getting considered for a project. For example, notice how Ada Wallace's fundamental skills, combined with her extensive work experience, form a comprehensive resume.

Functional resume

An effective functional resume, also known as a skill-based resume, is ideal for candidates with gaps in their employment or very little to no experience. This format highlights skills and achievements regardless of when you acquired them. The functional resume is perfect for job-hoppers, late bloomers, recent graduates, students, among others.

Candidates with relevant skills in entertainment looking for a new job can use functional resumes for the following jobs:

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  1. Commercial actor: In this functional entertainment resume, Lionel Fernandez correctly emphasized his professional skills in detail while de-emphasizing his work experience. Regardless of his experience level, Lionel's skills related to acting, teamwork and his soft skills speak of his potential.
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  2. Director: Any video production project is helmed by a director. Having a functional entertainment resume can help Laurie Scott land the next big job by adequately highlighting her qualifying professional skills above all else. Skills such as creative team collaboration, network TV operations, team development, creative designing skills, problem-solving abilities and more are critical to being considered for the director role she wants.
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  3. Costume designer: With the help of a functional resume, costume designer Lonnie Shaw emphasized her skills over her work history. Lonnie focused on the skills she has acquired over her career as a costume designer. By mentioning skills such as embroidering expertise, fashion styling, draping and collaborating with co-workers for exhibitions and presentations, she proves she has the skills needed for the role.