Ask an Insider

Who Has Taught You the Most About Acting?

"Movies and television were my first teachers and taught me the most. There's a combination of all the great actors that I watched in movies and on television while growing up."

How Do You Help an Actor Who Is Struggling to Create a Role?

"I think my job usually is to be like a second instinct, brain, and conscience for the actors. I have to work at least as hard as they do, especially prior to and during rehearsal. I have to be able to come in and provide options."

What Do You Suggest to Cure Audition Anxiety?

We have found that getting to the root of the anxiety helps eliminate it, if not totally, at least partially.

Why Are You a Casting Director?

"My whole reason for being, practically almost my mission in life, is to get the actor to the next level. They would make it there without me, but to be able to help push it through a little sooner."

No Bells and Whistles

Marc Hirschfeld, who heads Marc Hirschfeld Casting, knew from an early age that he wanted to do something in the industry, without knowing precisely what it would be.

How Do You Prepare Your Students for Life After College?

"It's called show business, not show art, so I encourage students to approach it as such. They are each the head of their own company: the company of me."

Do You Read Reviews of Your Work?

Positive or negative, I read reviews. Hearing other people's take on the productions I'm in is interesting to me.

What Acting Skills Do You Want To See in Your Dancers?

"You can have all the technique in the world, but if you're just a robot and you aren't connecting with the reasons or the emotions of the piece, then you're really not connecting with your audience."

What Are Some Inspiring Client Success Stories?

"The industry and its demands can turn an actor's love of acting into something painful. It's so important for an actor not to lose sight of the fact that acting is fun."

What Do You Know Now That You Didn't Know When You Started Casting?

"In voiceover casting, I have learned that the actors who take a risk and fully commit to what they're doing usually get the part."