Filmmaker Resume Example

The first thing about a candidate that hiring managers and recruiters see is their resume. It’s essential that your resume communicates outstanding expertise, experience, and understanding of the work process. So let’s talk about everything a potential employer should be able to find in a filmmaker’s resume. We’ll offer you a great filmmaker resume example and cover such things as

• The appropriate format for a resume
• Difference between resume summary and objective
• What to write in the education and experience sections
• What action verbs are and how to use them, and so much more.

How to Format a Filmmaker Resume

If your resume is more than two pages long, the recruiter reading it won’t get through your entire job application, and your chances of landing an interview will suffer. As to the right filmmaker resume format and layout, use bullet points and short sentences that start with action words. Any recruiter will appreciate your conciseness.

And if you’re thinking, “should I hire a professional to write my resume?” don’t hesitate. We encourage you to explore the following resume examples developed using our resume writing service. We’ve developed them for dozens of professions in all kinds of industries: from customer service to engineering. And we will keep updating the list each week with new examples.

Filmmaker Resume [Sample]

The best way to follow all the requirements for a winning resume is to follow a filmmaker resume template. Sure, it’s never the right choice to simply copy another job seeker’s wording. Your resume is supposed to be your own and highlight your unique experience and achievements as opposed to someone else’s. If you cheat, resume-scanning software or a recruiter will catch you, and they won’t hire you.

But following a professional model means learning and working on your own resume-writing skills. It will show you how to communicate that you know how to be a good filmmaker. Here is one such model to consider:

Resume Objective & Resume Summary

Filmmaker resume objective and summary are a source of confusion for a lot of first-time resume writers. While similar, they aren’t the same thing. 

Your resume objective is the end goal of your application. It’s supposed to communicate that you would love to land an interview for the job you’re submitting an application for.

In turn, your resume summary is a brief (roughly two sentences long) rundown of your relevant training, career accomplishments, and other skills that make you a perfect candidate for the job.

Resume Summary [Examples]

Job seekers preparing their filmmaker resume sample often struggle with writing an adequate resume summary. This makes their resume sample look less competent than it is and affects their chances in the job market. So here’s what your resume summary should and shouldn’t look like.

Resume Objective [Examples]

Filmmaker resume objective is the statement that articulates what you’d like to achieve. You should definitely adjust it to the specific position you’re applying for and the job duties and responsibilities it involves. A bad resume example of an objective lacks specifics, while a good one is concise and to the point.

Resume Examples [Experience]

Your experience section should be short enough for the recruiter to get through it yet detailed enough for them to understand what were your duties in the film industry in the past as well as what your strengths and competencies are.

Depending on the position you’re applying for, it might also be a good idea to feature non-filmmaking experience as long as it fits the job requirements. For example, if you’re applying for a position of a commercial video maker at a marketing company, mention your business experience.

Just as with the rest of your filmmaker resume, the experience section should be written in bullet points. Check a sample below.

Entry Level Filmmaker Resume [Experience]

A common reason why a lot of beginner filmmakers are scared to apply for their first job is that they don’t have much professional experience. They think that an internship at a marketing agency or a school project won’t look impressive on a resume for filmmaker.

This isn’t necessarily true, though. If you lack experience, feature film-related projects you’ve completed and contributed to (even if they were for school) and any internships that involved at least some responsibilities similar to those of a filmmaker. And don’t forget to use keywords (roles and terms related to filmmaking) to make sure that your resume isn’t lost because of the automation process.

Entry Level Filmmaker [Sample]

Most filmmaker resume examples are more suitable for experienced professionals, but we’ve got you covered.

Education Section: What to Write There

No filmmaker resume is complete without an education section that matches filmmaker education requirements. If you went to a film school or another relevant program, make sure to include it. But don’t forget about informal education as well, such as online courses and summer schools.

If you have enough space, include some of the things you studied (those related to film creation and the entire production process). It’ll show the recruiter that you aren’t a newbie to the job requirements.

Filmmaker Resume Examples [Education]

The education section of a resume for filmmaker must communicate a helpful educational background and enough knowledge to confidently work towards one’s career growth.

Skills on a Resume for a Filmmaker

The resume skills section is possibly the most important one. Don’t list only filmmaker skills there. It’s vital to be able to bring scripts to life, but you also need great communication and organization skills. Filmmaking is a career field where soft skills matter almost as much as hard ones.

Here are a few things to put there:

• Basic knowledge of project management and scheduling
• Outstanding communication skills
• Ability to work with different camera and lighting equipment
• Excellent command of editing software (Shotcut, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and more)
• Exceptional time management skills
• Location scouting expertise
• Ability to use a wide range of visual storytelling approaches and techniques

Filmmaker Resume Examples [Skills]

The filmmaker skills you choose to put on your resume must always match the job posting. Recruiters and other individuals reading it shouldn’t be left wondering, “why would I care if she is good at singing?”

What Else to Add to Make Your Resume Memorable

If you’re hoping for your dream employer to invite you to an interview and then recruit you, such filmmaker resume sections as education, experience, and relevant skills aren’t always enough. Sure, they work. But they tend to consist of impersonal statements that don’t really tell the recruiter who you are.

To stand out, one of the resume sections your resume should include is “Other” (otherwise known as “Additional skills”). Here, you can list anything you’d like your potential employer to know about you. But try to make it at least 60% relevant to the job.

Filmmaker Resume Examples [Other Sections]

Your “Other” section is your chance to show that you not only know how to be a good filmmaker but also a well-rounded and interesting person capable of forming connections with the rest of the crew and cast members. Still, don’t mention something totally unrelated to and useless in filmmaking. It doesn’t belong in a resume filmmaker.

Use Key Action Verbs

Just like any other resume, a filmmaker resume should include action verbs. They are the words you use at the beginning of each bullet point, especially in the experience section. If you don’t pay attention to what verbs you put there, you’re guaranteed to end up with tons of repetitions and little variety. As a result, your resume will look worse than it could have.

Here are some of the best action verbs to include in a filmmaker’s resume:

1. Organized
2. Orchestrated
3. Scouted
4. Oversaw
5. Managed
6. Collaborated
7. Brainstormed
8. Produced
9. Planned
10. Designed
11. Executed
12. Filmed
13. Directed
14. Edited
15. Staged
16. Scheduled
17. Discovered
18. Delivered

These are only some of the action verbs that’ll look great on any resume. You can probably think of many more. So unleash your creativity and avoid being repetitive by all means.

A Brief Summary

It’s pretty self-evident that having a good resume is important. It gives a job seeker a major advantage and makes it more likely that the recruiter from their dream company will contact them. But a lot of people struggle with the answer to the question of “how to write a filmmaker resume” because they lack resume writing experience or can’t put their education, experience, and proper tech skills into short bullet points.

Luckily, our professional resume writers can help. They know how to make your resume stand out and land you more interviews than you could’ve ever dreamed.