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Film and Television Director resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what film and television directors 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 film and television directors should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Film and Television Director with a background in scripted and documentary production, experienced in leading creative vision from development through post. Skilled at working with writers, actors and technical crew to deliver compelling screen content on schedule. Comfortable managing the competing demands of creative ambition, budget and on-set safety in Australian productions.
Key skills
- Creative software production
- Visual design and shot composition
- Project management and scheduling
- Content creation and script writing
- Final Draft
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- DaVinci Resolve
- Avid Media Composer
- FrameForge
- People leadership and cast direction
- Time and deadline management
- Written communication
- Problem solving
Experience: example bullet points
- Directed a six-part scripted web series from script development through post-production, managing a cast and crew of over 20 across a 15-day shoot.
- Worked with writers and actors in rehearsals to sharpen character arcs, leading to a final cut that was selected for a national screen festival.
- Collaborated with the cinematographer and gaffer to design a lighting plan that maintained visual continuity across multiple locations.
- Partnered with editors in DaVinci Resolve and Avid Media Composer to refine pacing and structure, delivering the final master ahead of the broadcaster deadline.
- Restructured the shooting schedule after a location fell through, keeping the production on track without extending the shoot.
- Mentored emerging crew members on set, several of whom have since taken on departmental roles in other productions.
Education
Bachelor degree in film, television or screen production (for example through AFTRS or a university screen program), though many directors enter the field through sustained industry experience and a portfolio of credited work.
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.
- Screen Australia
- Australian Directors' Guild (ADG)
- MEAA
- Producer Offset
- state screen agencies
- call sheet
- shot list
- storyboard
- blocking
- post-production
- colour grading
- sound mix
- AFTRS
- script coverage
- pitch deck
- on-set safety
- WHS
- screen production
- directing
- script development
- casting
- rehearsal
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.