Crafting a standout background actor cover letter can be daunting, especially if you've already taken the leap into job applications only to find you need one more key component. Unlike a resume, your cover letter is your chance to spotlight your proudest achievement with a personal success story. It must strike a balance between formality and originality, steering clear of tired cliches. Remember, keep it concise – nothing longer than a single page will do.
- Writing the essential background actor cover letter sections: balancing your professionalism and personality;
- Mixing storytelling, your unique skill set, and your greatest achievement;
- Providing relevant (and interesting) information with your background actor cover letter, despite your lack of professional experience;
- Finding the perfect format for your[ background actor cover letter, using templates from industry experts.
Leverage the power of Enhancv's AI: upload your resume and our platform will map out how your background actor cover letter should look, in mere moments.
If the background actor isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Background actor cover letter example
Leah Torres
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- Personalizing the cover letter to the company showcases an understanding of the company's values and projects, illustrating the candidate's interest and making the application stand out.
- Demonstrating quantifiable achievements, such as the 75% sell-out rate and raising funds for community theater, provides concrete examples of the candidate's success and ability to contribute significantly to business growth.
- Highlighting specific experiences that are directly relevant to the role, like spearheading crowdfunding campaigns and enhancing theater engagement, positions the candidate as well-versed in the business aspect of production, which is important for a production company.
- Mentioning a readiness to contribute to the team demonstrates a collaborative spirit, an essential skill in film production where teamwork is vital to project success.
Designing your background actor cover letter: what is the best format
Let's start with the basics, your background actor cover letter should include your:
- Header
- Greeting
- Introduction
- Body paragraph
- Closing statement
- Signature (that's not a must)
Next, we'll move to the spacing of your background actor cover letter, and yes, it should be single-spaced (automatically formatted for you in our cover letter templates).
Don't go for a old-school font (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman), but instead, pick an ATS-favorite like Chivo, Volkhov, or Raleway, to stand out.
Our cover letter builder is also set up for you with the standard one-inch margin, all around the text.
Finally, ensure your background actor resume and cover letter are in the same font and are submitted in PDF (to keep the formatting in place).
P.S. The Applicant Tracker System (or ATS) won't be assessing your [job] cover letter, it's solely for the recruiters' eyes.
The top sections on a background actor cover letter
Header: Include your name, contact information, and the date, as it's essential for the casting director to know who you are and how to reach you for potential roles.
Greeting: Address the letter to a specific person if possible, as personalized greetings show that you've researched who's in charge of casting and are serious about your craft.
Introduction: Introduce yourself with a brief overview of your acting experience and mention why you're interested in becoming a background actor, to capture the casting director's attention immediately.
Body: Detail your relevant experiences or training, and any unique skills or qualities that make you an ideal candidate for background acting, to demonstrate that you have what it takes to blend into various settings and scenes.
Closing: Express your enthusiasm for the opportunity and state your availability, making sure to thank the reader for considering your application and include a proactive statement about following up.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Ability to follow directions precisely: Recruiters look for background actors who can closely adhere to instructions in order to maintain continuity and fulfill the director's vision for a scene.
- Adaptability and flexibility: Background actors must quickly adapt to different sets, scenes, and requirements, often with little notice, to fit into the production seamlessly.
- Punctuality and reliability: Productions run on tight schedules, and background actors who are consistently on time and dependable are highly valued for ensuring that filming proceeds efficiently.
- Appropriate appearance or physical traits: Recruitors may seek background actors with specific looks to match the aesthetic of the time period, location, or cultural background depicted in the production.
- Previous on-set experience: Experience working on film or TV sets is often preferred, as it suggests familiarity with set etiquette and production processes.
- Discretion and professionalism: Background actors must maintain confidentiality, behave appropriately on set, and interact with the crew and principal actors in a respectful and unobtrusive manner.
Kick off your background actor cover letter: the salutation or greeting
When writing your background actor cover letter, remember that you're not writing for some complex AI or robot, but for actual human beings.
And recruiters, while on the lookout to understand your experience, would enjoy seeing a cover letter that is tailored to the role and addresses them. Personally.
So, if you haven't done so, invest some time in finding out who's the hiring manager for the role you're applying to. A good place to start would be LinkedIn and the corporate website.
Alternatively, you could also get in touch with the company to find out more information about the role and the name of the recruiter.
If you haven't met the hiring manager, yet, your background actor cover letter salutation should be on a last-name basis (e.g. "Dear Mr. Donaldson" or "Dear Ms. Estephan").
A good old, "Dear HR Professional" (or something along those lines) could work as your last resort if you're struggling to find out the recruiter's name.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear [Casting Director's Name],
- Dear [Producer's Name],
- Dear [Director's Name],
- Dear [Production Company's Name] Team,
- Dear [Project Title] Casting Team,
- Dear Hiring Manager,
Using your background actor cover letter intro to show your dedication
We know just how difficult it is to start writing your background actor cover letter introduction.
There are so many great qualities you have as a professional, which one should you choose?
How about writing up to two sentences about your passion and commitment to the work you do or are set to do?
Try to describe exactly what you enjoy about the potential role.
A positive attitude from the get-go will help you stand out as a motivated background actor professional.
That one achievement in your background actor cover letter body
The lengthiest part of your background actor cover letter is the body.
Within the next three to six middle paragraphs, present yourself as the best candidate for the role.
How can you do that without retelling your whole professional resume?
Select one key achievement that covers job-crucial skills and technologies (and is memorable).
Within the body of your background actor cover letter, aim to tell the story of how you achieved your success. Also, write about how this would help out your potential team.
Finishing off your background actor cover letter with what matters most
So far, you've done a fantastic job in tailoring your background actor cover letter for the role and recruiter.
Your final opportunity to make a good impression is your closing paragraph.
And, no, a "Sincerely yours" just won't do, as it sounds too vague and impersonal.
End your background actor cover letter with the future in mind.
So, if you get this opportunity, what do you plan to achieve? Be as specific, as possible, of what value you'd bring to the organization.
You could also thank recruiters for their interest in your profile and prompt for follow-up actions (and organizing your first interview).
Which story should you tell in your background actor cover letter when you have zero experience
Candidates, lacking professional experience in the field - this one is for you.
Your background actor cover letter is an exercise of integrity, honesty, and, above all, spinning a positive narrative around your strengths.
And what better way to capture recruiters' attention than with your most job-relevant achievement (this could be from your internship or volunteering experience)?
Make sure to back up your success with transferrable skills that are relevant to the job (e.g. how your year, studying abroad, has taught you to be more motivated and handle multicultural environments).
Another safe card you can bet on is your career dream: in the body of your background actor cover letter, go into the details of how your ambitions would help make the company you're applying for better.
Key takeaways
We hope this background actor cover letter writing guide has shown you how to:
- Format your background actor cover letter with the mandatory sections (e.g. header, greeting, intro, body, and closing) and select the right font (P.S. It should be the same as the one you've used for your resume);
- Substitute your lack of professional experience with your most noteworthy achievement, outside of work, or your dreams and passions;
- Ensure recruiters have a more personalized experience by tailoring your cover letter not just to the role, but to them (e.g. writing their first/last name in the salutation, etc.);
- Introducing your biggest achievement and the skills it has taught you in your background actor cover letter body;
- Write no more than two sentences in your background actor cover letter introduction to set the right tone from the get-go.
