When creating a showreel, the goal is to present an actor's talent in the best possible light, highlighting their range, skills, and on-screen presence. One element in many showreels is background music. However, it’s something I’d avoid entirely, and there's good reasons for it!

Showcasing Acting Talent, Not Editing Skills

The primary purpose of a showreel is to showcase the actor's abilities, not my excellent use of music! Adding music can sometimes overshadow the actor's performance, making it difficult for casting directors to fully appreciate the subtleties of their craft. If it’s on the original clip, though, then of course it has to stay!

Preserving Authenticity

Acting is about conveying emotions and telling a story through dialogue, expressions, and body language. Background music, while often used in films and TV shows to enhance a scene, can distort the authenticity of a performance in the confines of a showreel. Casting directors are looking for genuine, unfiltered talent.

Ensuring Clear Dialogue and Audio

One of the key aspects casting directors focus on is an actor's delivery of dialogue. Background music can sometimes interfere with the clarity of speech, especially if the volume is not perfectly balanced. By eliminating music, I ensure that every word spoken by the actor is heard clearly, allowing their diction, tone, and emotional delivery to be fully appreciated.

Highlighting Versatility

Actors often include a variety of scenes in their showreels to demonstrate their range. Each scene is a testament to their ability to adapt to different characters and emotions. Including music can create a uniformity that undermines this diversity. Without music, each scene stands on its own, highlighting the actor's versatility and ability to perform in various contexts.

It’s little tricks like this that allow a casting director to get their best read on you as an actor, and can leave them the room to imagine you in the part they are casting for.