Home Cinematographer Resume template
Cinematographer resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what cinematographers actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most cinematographers should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Cinematographer who translates scripts into images, leading camera and lighting departments from prep through to the grade. Comfortable across film, television and commercial work, with a practical eye for what a schedule and a location will actually allow. Known for calm, well-organised sets and for protecting the intended look all the way into post.
Key skills
- Visual design and shot composition
- Lighting design for interiors and night exteriors
- Camera operation and movement
- Lens, filter and format selection
- Shot listing and camera planning with directors
- Camera and lighting crew supervision
- Colour grading handover and notes
- ARRI Alexa
- RED cameras
- DaVinci Resolve
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Sekonic light meter
- Time and deadline management
- Problem solving on location
- Written communication for prep documents
Experience: example bullet points
- Built shot lists and lighting plans with directors during prep, keeping each scene's look consistent across multiple locations and shoot days.
- Operated ARRI Alexa and RED packages on location, matching shots so the edit could cut between takes without visible shifts in exposure or colour.
- Designed lighting for interiors and night exteriors using practicals and small units, reducing setup time and keeping each day within the shooting schedule.
- Selected lenses, filters and camera movement for each scene, testing options in prep to avoid costly changes on the day.
- Led camera and lighting crews of up to twelve on set, delegating tasks and running safe practice around rigging, cabling and heat-generating lights.
- Handed over footage to post with written colour notes, cutting back-and-forth with the colourist and protecting the intended look through the grade.
Education
Most cinematographers come through a bachelor degree in film, television or screen production (for example at AFTRS, VCA or a university screen program), with a diploma or advanced diploma in screen and media a common alternative and many entering through camera department roles after Year 12.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS)
- Screen Australia
- MEAA crew agreement
- state screen agency
- AFTRS
- call sheet
- shot list
- colour grade
- DaVinci Resolve
- ARRI Alexa
- RED
- working with children check
- public liability insurance
- ABN
- CASA drone operator accreditation
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.