Film Resume: Sample & Writing Guide [20+ Tips]

Who doesn’t love movies and video content?

Heck, you love them so much that you’re actually looking for a job in film production. The only catch? So do hundreds, if not thousands, of other people in your area. And you’re almost doomed to be overlooked unless you’re a masterful networker… or unless you’re applying with an unforgettable resume.

Here’s how to craft a perfectly focused film resume that cuts through the noise and delights readers with a blockbuster story of your awesomeness.

This guide will show you: 

• A film resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a film resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a film resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a film production specialist to get any job you want.

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Want to pursue a career in other creative fields? Check out our guides:

• Video Editor Resume Sample & Guide
• Filmmaker Resume Sample & Guide
• Cinematographer Resume Sample & Guide
• Production Assistant Resume Sample & Guide
• Acting Resume Sample & Guide
• Video Producer Resume Sample & Guide
• Artist Resume Sample & Guide
• Production Coordinator Resume Sample & Guide
• 3D Artist Resume Sample & Guide
• Resume Examples for All Careers

Film Production Resume Template

Here’s how to write a film production resume worthy of Peter McKinnon’s crew:

1. Choose the Best Format for Your Film Resume

A resume formatted the right way makes the recruiter want to read it. Here's how to format your resume:

• Make a good header for your resume. It’s the section at the top where you put your personal information on a resume.
• Make sure you know what sections a standard resume should include.
• Choose the best resume format for film production. In the vast majority of cases, the chronological resume format should be your #1 as it focuses on your latest experience.
• Select the best fonts for a resume. Don’t go for the fancy looking ones. Opt for a professional look.
• Treat white space as a friend. Don’t squeeze in too much information.
• Confused about sending your resume as a PDF or Word? Opt for the PDF format unless the employer asks you otherwise.

2. Write a Film Production Resume Objective or Summary

Top your film resume with a professional resume profile.

Think of it in terms of a trailer that highlights all the choicest bits on your resume, and introduces you to the recruiter in the style of an elevator pitch.

Your resume profile can become either a resume objective or summary.

Here’s how you can distinguish the two:

Resume summaries highlight your experience and achievements and will work best on a film crew resume that can show at least 2 years of professional experience.

Resume objectives focus on your skills and explain why you’ll make a great hire. They’re suitable for entry-level positions as well as for resumes for career changers.

Either way, to make your resume profile stand out add numbers that show your true impact.

Pro Tip: The resume profile comes up top on your resume, but write it once your entire document is ready. This way it’ll be easier to find the bits you’d like to put in the spotlight.

3. Create the Perfect Film Production Job Description for a Resume

Here’s the thing:

It’s the experience in a resume that sells you.

And your film production resume experience section has must make it clear—

You’re so much better than the rest.

How to do this?

Show the recruiter they’ve just found what they’re looking for by tailoring your resume to the job posting:

• Put your most recent job first and follow it up with the previous ones.
• Each entry should list your job title, company name, and location. Don’t fail to mention dates worked either.
• Focus on your relevant experience and list it on a bullet point list. Don’t exceed 5-6 bullets, though.
• Make sure your bullets contain action verbs for resumes, such as produced, developed, edited, cooperated, etc.
• Quantify as much of your experience as possible. Numbers speak louder than words.

Pro Tip: See to it that your film production resume is free from typical resume mistakes.

4. Make Your Film Production Resume Education Section Viral

What you can do matters most. But it’s equally important to know what you’ve learned.

Here’s how to make your resume education section deliver:

• 5+ years of experience? List your degree, school name and location, and graduation year.
• Less experience? Your education section will benefit from information on your extracurricular activities, academic achievements, and relevant coursework.

If you have any professional certifications and licenses, put them in a dedicated resume section to boost their visibility.

5. Highlight Your Film Production Resume Skills

At the end of the day, your skills are what makes you unique.

Use the list below to identify your key film production skills.

Skills List for a Film Production Resume

• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Captions
• Codecs
• DaVinci
• Documentation
• Editing and production skills
• Framerates
• Harmonic
• JAMF
• Mac/PC
• MAM/PAM/DAM
• Mixers
• NAS/SAN
• Networking
• Peripherals
• Project Management
• ProTools
• Quantum
• Signiant/Aspera
• Storytelling through editing
• Ticketing Systems
• Titles
• VPN
• Zapier

• Analytical skills
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Communication
• Critical thinking
• Decision making
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership
• Problem solving
• Time management

Here’s how to pick out the best skills for your film production resume:

• First, prepare a list of your good skills to put on a resume, including soft skills, hard skills, and technical skills.
• Revisit the job posting to identify the skills the employer is seeking specifically.
• Go back to your list of skills and find the skills you saw in the job ad.
• Focus on these skills on your film production resume.
• Pick out up to 10 of your strongest abilities and put them in a key skills section.
• Sprinkle your entire resume with skills. Put some in the resume profile and experience sections as well.

Pro Tip: Focus on your strongest skills. Don’t mention your weak skills to avoid the so called presenter’s paradox.

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6. Add Other Sections to Your Film Production Resume

Show them something more than just your professional side.

Consider adding the following sections to your film resume:

• Languages on a resume
• Achievements for a resume
• Volunteering on a resume
• Hobbies and interests

7. Attach a Film Production Resume Cover Letter

Do I need a cover letter?

50% of the recruiters expect you to submit one. If you don’t, you have a fifty-fifty chance of slipping through. But is it what you want? Slip through?

Be better than that and follow our tips to write a riveting cover letter in no time:

• First off, learn how to format a cover letter.
• Find out how to write the best cover letter intro ever.
• Remember to focus on the value you’ll bring in to the company.
• In your cover letter conclusion put a call-to-action statement.

And make sure the length of your cover letter is acceptable.

Pro Tip: Following up on your job application is always a good idea. It shows you’re a serious candidate.

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:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

This is it!

This is how you make a job-winning resume for film production positions.

Are you writing a film resume for the first time? Or perhaps you’re a seasoned pro eager to help the rookies out? We’d love to hear from you, leave your comment below!

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