CrewNova / Practical guides
Make your screen credits work harder for you.
Producers need to understand who you are, what you have done and whether you fit the job. A strong film crew CV and profile make those answers easy to find.
Example crew member
Camera department · Auckland
Make the essentials scannable
- Primary role
- 1st Assistant Camera
- Recent work
- Role + format
- Experience
- Clear and relevant
- References
- Permission first
No real member data shown.
Treat your CV like a briefing document for someone who has never met you. It should quickly demonstrate the role you do, the work you have completed and the kind of production where you are a strong fit.
What production teams need to know at a glance
Most crew are not hired because their profile has the most text. They are considered because the information is relevant, current and easy to verify. The strongest starting point is a clear professional identity.
Your primary role
Name the role you want to be contacted for, rather than listing every job you have ever assisted with.
Location and availability
Give your main region and keep any availability information current, without treating it as a guarantee.
Relevant credits
Show productions and responsibilities that demonstrate your actual experience.
Practical fit
Include applicable specialist skills, licences and personally available equipment.
Imagine a coordinator looking for a 1st AC with commercial experience. A profile headed “Film person, creative and hardworking” makes their job difficult. “1st Assistant Camera | Commercials and TV | Auckland” helps them qualify the fit immediately.
Present screen credits in a useful order
Put the most relevant and recent work near the top. Be accurate about your role, credit and responsibilities: an assistant on a feature should not imply they were the department head.
Swipe or use the arrow keys to see all columns.
| Field | What to include |
|---|---|
| Production | The credited title, using the correct spelling. |
| Format | Feature, drama series, documentary, commercial, short film or other relevant category. |
| Your role | The position you actually held, including assistant or trainee level where appropriate. |
| Year and context | When you worked and useful context that is public and permitted to share. |
| Reference | An appropriate contact only with their permission, or “available on request”. |
The Screen Industry Guild's advice on CVs also highlights precise credits, professional presentation and keeping a PDF copy. An online profile can complement a PDF CV rather than replace it.
Write a stronger professional introduction
Use two or three specific sentences, not a long personal manifesto. Lead with role, type of work and the value of your experience.
Replace the brackets with facts you can support. This is a writing template, not a real CrewNova member testimonial.
Do not pad the introduction with unverifiable claims such as “New Zealand's best” or “worked with every major studio”. Specificity is stronger than exaggeration.
Show practical information without oversharing
Where relevant, list your equipment, specialist training, licences, languages and regions you can work in. Keep that information accurate and up to date. You do not need to publish private addresses, personal identification numbers or anyone else's contact details.
- List equipment you actually own or can reliably supply, not gear you once hired.
- Keep your region and travel preferences current.
- Get permission before publishing referee names or contact details.
- Use stills or project materials only when you have rights to share them.
- Update credits after work is completed and approved for public mention.
Your five-minute profile review
Read the first line as a producer
Can someone immediately identify your department, role and region?
Check the three most relevant credits
Do they support the type of work you want next, and are the details accurate?
Remove vague claims and stale information
Make every statement useful and supportable. Check kit and contact options.
Protect privacy and permissions
Check what is public and whether you have rights to share images and references.
Make follow-up straightforward
Ensure the platform's approved contact and availability process is clear and current.
CrewNova's early-access Crew Directory is designed to help freelancers present roles, credits, experience and verified working history coherently. Access follows the live registration settings, so registration options appear only when the current mode permits them.
Common questions
Do I need both a film crew CV and an online profile?
Should I include every project I have ever worked on?
Can I publish a referee’s contact details?
CrewNova editorial guide. Verify relevant industry, location and tax guidance before relying on it for a specific production or engagement. Information is general, not legal or tax advice.