What's the general consensus on including a scene in your demo reel that has you swearing? Is this okay or is it considered inappropriate? I'm really stuck on this one. My gut instinct is telling me to go with your best performance regardless. But common courtesy is telling me it may not be well received by casting directors. Does it even matter? Help please...
Acting : Profanity on demo reels... yay or nay? by Evette Henderson
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Context is everything. But I would say you never know the sensibilities of those watching. So if you can express a full range of emotion without resorting to profanity, good on you.
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Put like that Mark, it makes total sense. Thank you.
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That is an excellent question. I agree with what Mark said on the subject, makes sense to me.
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Conversely if it is your best performance, you can always bleep out the offensive word. I wouldn't ever include a scene featuring an f-bomb under any circumstances, but if it's something less severe, this would be an option.
Yeah, if you start to try to satisfy everyone, its a slippery slope. And what offends one person may not offend another. I always get a laugh when 2 stations differ on a phrase like 'god damn'. The liberals at USA will bleep out 'god', while the god-fearing righties of TBS bleeps out 'damn'! lol
yeah!
If the script ask for it, "hell yeah!" :)
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So is swearing on your demo reel considered a reflection of the person and potentially the kind of actor they might be? I sincerely hope not. As a writer myself, I don't think I've written too many scripts without profanities. That's just the nature of the world we live in (plus I swear in real life!). And when I see my characters come to life by actors I want to see it all baby! I think I'd be a tad upset if a word was edited or bleeped due to sensitivity and not for positive story development. Tom, I've heard of 'God' and 'damn' being bleeped before. I guess 'Gosh pond' just doesn't quite cut it!
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This is an opinion here considering I have no reel. But I think if it's part of a performance you did for a role then yeah that's fine. But I think if you do a reel just to get parts then lay off the swearing. But like I said I don't have a real reel (say that 5 times) yet so take this with a grain of salt. Whatever you choose I think you'll be fine.
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She DID say in the context of a Demo Reel? While I do agree with the parenting part, keeping my daughter from R films while her mother did not, how many demo reels are viewed by children? None?
Thanks Michelle. My previous communication is taken out of context which is very easy to do. As Tom said I'm talking about demo reels NOT parenting.
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Okay, swearing in a demo reel is a personal choice. Is it necessary to show a range of emotions? I'd say no, only if you don't have the range or ability to show emotion any other way. Was Kathy Bates able to show anger and rage, instill fear as Annie Wilkes without swearing? Yes. And the performance was powerful and memorable and Oscar worthy. As actors, I understand that if the script calls for if, if the performance demands it, you'll have to swear like wounded sailor. But on a demo reel, the actor is picking the material. It's your choice.
Great point Mark. Ultimately, it's the actor's choice so choose wisely.
He he! Ego is a dirty word as they say! I'm inviting public opinion by starting these discussions so don't hold back on my account. The more the merrier I say. I learn a lot from different point of views.
If your most powerful stuff includes a swear word, why not use it?
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Good way to put it Brian, if it makes you squirm.... don't use it. Nice...
Thanks to all comments. Here's a free teaser from my second book A PERFECT PERFORMANCE coming out soon which addresses this topic. http://ozemag.com/2013/12/05/a-perfect-performance/