

Career stuck in pre-production? Give it the Oscar-winning launch it deserves with a show-stopping cinematography resume that nails it on the first take.
You know all it takes is one great opportunity—but no matter how many cinematography jobs you apply for, you never get a callback.
How are you supposed to get your big break when there are no breaks coming your way?
Easy—
With a cinematographer resume that’s Roger Deakins’ level of epic.
Get your skills into focus, give your talent the right exposure, and your job hunting will be faster than Fuji Reala 500D.
This guide will show you:
Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.
Sample resume made with our builder—See more resume templates here.
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David Hawkins
Cinematographer
610-482-1375
david.hawkins@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/davidhawkin$
twitter.com/davidhawkin$
Summary
Creative cinematographer with 10+ years of experience and exceptional storytelling skills. Winner of the Best Cinematography award at the 2017 Chicago International Film Festival, shortlisted for the 2016 TIFF award. Eager to apply my technical expertise and innovative approach to driving creative growth at Paramount Studios.
Experience
Cinematographer
Gray Horse Studios
September 2013–April 2021
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Key Achievement:
Commercial Cinematographer and Co-Founder
Amherst Video Group
June 2010–August 2013
Education
BFA in Filmmaking, New York Film Academy
2006–2010
Skills
Memberships
Active Member of the American Society of Cinematographers
Here’s how to write a job-winning cinematographer resume:
Cinematographers are responsible for creating the visual style of a movie. They plan every shot and lead the camera and lighting crews during shooting. A cinematographer resume has to go beyond showcasing your technical skills—you also need to prove you’re organized, communicative, and detail-oriented.
Already visualizing a look for your resume? Excellent! Let’s go over the plot outline to make sure you’re not missing anything—
Here’s how to format your resume:
Busy production schedule? If you need to cut some corners, pick a ready-made creative resume template and make it your own.
Alright—
Calling last looks! Ready to roll?
Read more: Resume Structure: A Complete Guide
First up, we need to capture a tight shot of your best achievements—they’ll appear at the top of the page, in your resume profile.
This short introductory paragraph is essentially a montage of the best bits from your career, cut for maximum impact.
Now, there are two types of resume profiles:
In both cases, your aim here is to elicit curiosity and grab the reader’s attention.
To this end, every resume profile should include:
Before we set up for the next scene, a quick resume tip: if you’re drawing a blank on what to include in your profile, just fix it in post. It’ll be easier to write once you’ve completed the rest of your resume.
Still not sure about your opening shot? Read more: How to Write the Perfect Resume Introduction
Next on today’s schedule, an elaborate flashback—
Your work experience, presented using Memento-style reverse chronology.
Here’s how to put work experience on your resume:
Achievements in focus? Awesome—
Now, let’s switch to monochrome and adjust our WB, because we’re going even further back in time.
Never worked for a production company? See here: How to List Freelance Work on a Resume
As Quentin Tarantino and James Cameron would tell you, you don’t need formal education to make it in the movie business. Still—
Whether you’re a film school grad or a self-taught genius, education needs to make an appearance on your resume.
So:
If you have 5+ years of experience as a cinematographer, just provide your highest level of education, be it high school or college. Include the name of the institution and years of attendance.
If you’re less experienced, use the magic hour of your schooling to its full advantage. Add bullet points, mentioning academic achievements, relevant coursework, and projects on your resume. Only include your GPA on a resume if it was 3.5 or higher.
Looking good!
Time to cut back to the present for a series of short takes on your best skills.
Read more: How to Add Education to Your Resume
Here’s how to add key skills to your resume:
Your list won’t be a shot-for-shot remake of the example above—make it your own and shine a spotlight on the very best you have to offer.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
Abby Singer, everyone!
Almost done. Before we wrap for the day, consider adding the following resume sections:
...or anything else to make you stand out like Meryl Streep in a Z-movie.
Want to add your hobbies? Just make sure to frame them correctly: How to Put Hobbies and Interests on a Resume
Resume done, sizzle reel ready—
Hang on! There’s something missing: you still need a cover letter.
Here’s how to write one:
Keep it short and sweet—the ideal cover letter length is generally under one page.
Read more: How to Write A Job-Winning Cover Letter
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
That’s a wrap!
Thanks for reading! Still not sure how to write a cinematographer resume? Maybe you could offer some pointers of your own? Drop us a line in the comments!
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