Comp-card vs portfolio vs resume: what's the difference?

If you're new to acting in India, you've probably heard all three of these words thrown around like everyone already knows what they mean. Nobody explains the differences clearly, so let's fix that.

The comp-card

A comp-card (short for composite card) is a single page, front and back, that gives a casting director everything they need at a glance. Think of it as your business card, except it actually tells people what you look like.

The front has your strongest headshot. The back has three to four more photos showing your range: different looks, moods, outfits. Alongside the photos, list your name, contact info, physical stats (height, weight, hair color, eye color), and your top few credits if you have them.

That's it. One page.

In the Indian industry, the comp-card is the thing that matters most. When a casting director is sorting through 300 submissions for a role, they're flipping through comp-cards. They spend maybe five seconds on each one. Your comp-card is basically your entire pitch compressed into five seconds of someone's attention.

What makes a good comp-card:

Your headshot needs to look like you on a good day, not a glamour shot from three years ago. Casting directors get annoyed when someone walks into the room looking nothing like their photo. Use recent photos with natural lighting. No heavy retouching.

Your range photos should show you can look different. A formal look, a casual look, maybe something character-driven. (If you can pass for both a college student and a cop, that's worth showing.) If you can pull off both urban and rural characters, show that.

Keep the text minimal. Name. Number. Height. That's the priority. If you have credits, list your top three. If you don't have credits yet, don't fill the space with acting workshop names. Just leave it clean.

How to make one:

Get a good photographer to shoot your headshots. This doesn't need to cost a fortune. Plenty of photographers in Mumbai charge between 5,000 and 10,000 rupees for a solid headshot session. Design the card yourself using Canva, or pay a graphic designer a small fee. Print a batch on thick card stock, and keep digital versions ready to send over email or WhatsApp.

The portfolio

Your portfolio is the full collection of your work: your showreel, all your photographs (not just the four on your comp-card), your complete list of credits, maybe clips from projects you've done.

You don't hand someone your portfolio at a first meeting. The comp-card gets you in the door. The portfolio is what you share when they want to see more.

In practice, most Indian actors keep their portfolio as a combination of things: a Google Drive folder with high-res photos, a YouTube or Vimeo link to their showreel, and a PDF with their full credits and bio. Some actors have portfolio websites, but honestly, most casting directors in India aren't going to browse your website. They want a link they can click and a video they can watch.

What goes in a portfolio:

All your professional photos: headshots, character looks, behind-the-scenes shots from projects.

Your showreel. This is the most important part. Keep it under three minutes. Lead with your strongest work. If you only have one scene worth showing, that's fine — one great scene beats five mediocre ones.

A full list of credits with project names, directors, and your role.

Any press coverage or reviews, if applicable.

When you need it:

After you've gotten someone's attention. A casting director likes your comp-card and wants to know more before calling you in. An agent is considering signing you. A director saw you in something and wants to see your range. That's when the portfolio comes out.

The resume

An acting resume is a text document listing your credits, training, and skills. In Hollywood, it's standard; every actor has a formatted resume stapled to the back of their headshot. In India, it's much less common.

Why? Because Indian casting is visual first. Casting directors want to see your face and watch you perform. A text list of credits matters way less than a strong comp-card and a solid showreel.

That said, having a resume isn't a bad idea. If you're applying through casting platforms or submitting to projects that ask for one, you should have it ready. It's also useful when you're meeting agents or managers who want a quick overview of what you've done.

Resume format:

Your name and contact info at the top. Then credits organized by category: Film, Television, Web Series, Theater, Commercials. For each entry, list the project name, your role, and the director. Most recent work first.

Below your credits, list your training: acting classes, workshops, degrees. Then a skills section: languages you speak, accents you can do, dance forms, martial arts, musical instruments, sports. Be honest. Don't list "horse riding" if you've sat on a horse once at a birthday party.

So which one do you actually need?

If you're starting out in India, get your comp-card sorted first. That's non-negotiable. It's the one thing every casting director expects, and not having one puts you at an immediate disadvantage.

Build your portfolio as your work grows. Even if all you have right now is a few photos and a scene from a student film, put it together. Something is better than nothing, and you can always update it.

Keep a resume on hand for when it's asked for, but don't stress about it being your priority. In this industry, nobody is going to reject you because your resume formatting was off. They will skip you if your comp-card photo is blurry or your showreel is six minutes of mediocre work.

The comp-card opens the door, the portfolio backs you up when someone wants to see more, and the resume is just paperwork for when it's specifically requested. Focus your energy in that order.