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NOVEMBER 2021
Find ease acting on camera in a safe and small class.
Exploring truth on camera is both technique and philosophy. Learn to allow your specificity to anchor you, and trust yourself in the moment-to-moment work that follows. *BONUS*: [ONLINE] version includes extra attention to self-tape techniques that will blow your mind with inspiration, plus a detailed look at your own tech setup.
ASSIGNMENTS
Each week, you receive an assignment. You will individually choose and prepare a NEW film scene that fills appropriate casting possibilities for you, as discussed each week in class. No monologues. You will be guided to select appropriately challenging roles and well-structured audition scenes.
Your introductory assignment includes a specially created Actor Reflection Questionnaire! Once you answer these questions, you’ll begin to understand your marketability.
WATCH YOURSELF ON CAMERA
We film your scenes and provide you with downloads after each class. It’s an excellent way to study your progress, catch your “tricks,” and see what the producers/directors are seeing on the monitors.
THE AUDITION ROOM
Who’s in it, and how does it work? We recreate the audition room in every class for on-camera auditions. In addition to auditioning for your colleagues, you will also experience sitting “behind the table” and learn to assess what makes a good audition by observing others.
PREPARING YOUR MATERIAL
Use approaches that connect you to the words and make the text play as a natural conversation (to the camera, to the reader, and to the people behind the table who are hiring you). My approach was developed extensively while directing with Baz Luhrmann, and it applies to theater, television, and film. My directing sensibility is to create ease that reads on camera. The camera loves the moments between the moments.
YOUR REALITY VS. THE DIRECTOR/CASTING DIRECTOR’S REALITY
Explore your perception of the types of roles you are seeking to be hired for vs. the types of roles you are auditioning for.
AUDITIONING IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF AN ACTOR’S PROCESS
Focus specifically on strengthening your individual on-camera acting skills by examining and working on your on-camera audition skills. I use the audition room as a microscope to look at your entire process as an actor.
LEARN THE TRICKS OF THE CAMERA & HOW TO BE CAST IN THE RIGHT ROLES
My years of experience as both a casting director and film/theater director will support you in shaping your audition skills and your perspective on the business.
BEYOND CLASS
I will be in dialogue with you about taking action in your career by nudging you along and providing resources. I encourage you to use select takes from class to generate interest in your talent. Yes, you can post them anywhere if it’s a published film/TV show that’s already aired. Post your scenes on your websites or to share them with reps—it’s a great conversation starter about your process as an actor!
My joy is matchmaking, and I seek those opportunities for my alumni. For this reason, I have created an Alumni Database where you can upload class videos.
This class is for actors who are committed to moving to the next level in their acting on camera, in auditions, and in performance. I teach a process and philosophy—some call it a technique, and some call it a philosophy. This class welcomes actors who are either new to or experienced with working on camera. I will build you from the ground up—or rebuild and evolve your existing skills. I run a very tight ship, and feedback is guided and unique to each person’s journey.
This class is for you if you want to feel safe and free to take risks. Find out what is in your way from booking or moving to the next level.
If you’re a working actor, you can trust that you will be challenged.
If you’re a new or returning actor, you can trust that you will be inspired.
Note: If you feel that you need a primer class to build a foundation before taking Part 1, you’re encouraged to start your journey in the 3-Part Private Training Series or Working The Frame class with Athena Colón. We designed them for you!
TIME COMMITMENT
You will need to plan for homework time to research your assignment, prepare your materials, and practice your self-tape set-ups. All studio classes are designed to stretch and support your complete prep process as an actor for self-tapes and in-person auditions. The more you put into the class, the more you get out of it!
OUR WORK TOGETHER
This is not a networking class with a casting director. This is an acting and auditioning class with a teacher who has over two decades of professional high-level experience and who cares most about the actor’s process. In the end, I believe it is the process that books the job and supports the actor’s need to stay inspired.
WONDERING IF YOU’LL MISS THE IN-STUDIO EXPERIENCE?
….Nope! You’re actually going to get so much more because I’ve tweaked my 15+ year old signature class to include a BONUS FOCUS on self-tape techniques!
Again, in this online course, you’ll be getting extra attention to self-tape techniques that will blow your mind with inspiration. Plus, we’ll take a detailed look at your own tech setup.
My signature class will continue to include:
ACTING COACH: Heidi’s career has spanned over 20 years and includes time as the lead Casting Director at Telsey+CO for the Broadway musical RENT, as well as for 70+ projects in theater, film, television, commercial, and voiceover. She’s coached countless actors into roles for Film, TV, and Theater. Most recently, she coached and prepped Halle Bailey for her audition and screen test for Disney’s upcoming The Little Mermaid. Heidi’s active filmmaker career informs her director’s eye and influences her aesthetic for working with actors.
For full acting coach bio, click here.
I look for windows of opportunity between my directing gigs to teach this class. I always get inspiration and rejuvenation when working with talent on camera. You all inspire me.
My classes are small and private, and they operate purely from word-of-mouth by over 2,000 alumni students and the countless actors I auditioned while I worked in casting. I’ve been offering this class format since 2003, and I’m thrilled that word-of-mouth is powerful and that there is such a need for this type of class.
With so many classes and networking events out there, I frequently see confusion arise in actors about your marketability, your skills, and your belief in your own talent.
Think of me as a private coach within your audition process.
My passion lies in supporting you as an actor as you navigate through the information and the “truths” presented to you about yourself and the business. This is a safe class to explore your marketability and camera skills.
There are actors of ALL levels of experience and ages in my classes and private coachings: working TV actors, veteran theater actors (Tony Award-winning, regional, fringe), film actors in supporting and leading roles, commercial actors, and actors returning to the business after a hiatus called “life happens.” When you start working in front of the camera, the playing field quickly gets leveled.
My classes—Part 1 and Part 2—are not separated by levels of talent. Everyone, including the award winners, starts with me in Part 1, and we build a process together. I lay in the lessons and techniques very thoughtfully and purposefully over the classes. Some actors will say it is like developing a philosophy together. This class will give you more than just techniques. It’s the whole package.
I look forward to working with you,
x,Heidi
Johnny and I were invited to speak at the SAG Foundation about actors producing their own work.
I was invited back to speak at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation about actors processing and handling rejection.
In Episode 7: “Heidi Marshall,” I chat in depth about casting RENT, Jonathan Larson, what inspired me to start my coaching career, filmmaking, and more.
In Episode #20: “RENT Audition Throwback (and new tips!),” I talk behind-the-scenes casting tips.
In Episode 90: “Sixteen Candles,” I discuss the iconic film Sixteen Candles.
I share my best practices for working with actors, including live scene work with two actors, followed by a Q&A.
Heidi has worked as a casting director, directs, and genuinely likes actors, so what she offers is insider information that empowers the actor in the experience of auditioning.
Your class was instrumental in helping me develop the techniques that allowed me to go into that audition room 4 different times and finally land the role of Richie (HBO Looking). I tell all my actor friends about your class, I can’t rave enough about it.
I’m finding more success with thorough preparation mixed with the ability to play/imagine.
I see the art of auditioning from a completely different perspective than before.
I’m glad I took part in this class and learned to see things through the eyes of casting people who are simply looking for interesting and open individuals to help them complete their cast.
What shifted most for me in my approach to acting on camera is trusting that when I am playing and loose, I really come alive and am natural.
A great class not just about acting on camera but information on how to market yourself in the industry. Things that your are never told elsewhere!
This class definitely got my confidence boosted in that I’m not as far off as I thought I was, and also confidence in the fact that the roles that I want to play, and am interested in playing, and that I think I would be good at are how other people see me too.
This class prepares you to be working and active in the industry no matter your experience level. It equips you with many needed tools to find your path to success.
I will go into every room knowing that someone believes I can do this job and I know that I can.
Informative, helpful, and really great at helping you grow and find practical techniques that work for you in growing comfortable on camera.
Giving myself permission to change things up every take has done wonders in letting my work feel alive every time.
What shifted most for me in my approach to acting on camera: I like the brave act of being “messy.” That it’s not so much about about perfecting the delivery of the lines but how the “wheels are turning.”
A great class for learning more about working on film/tv. You get above and beyond what you signed up for. Heidi provided endless resources and invaluable information. I hope to stay connected to the community I met through this class.
If a friend texted me & asked me about this class, I would break the world record for longest text. I would tell them how it has made me a more confident actor & person. We had such a supportive class & I would let them know that they would meet people that lift their spirits & are in their corner & want them to succeed. I would say how incredible or a teacher & person Heidi. I would also make sure they new that there are no rules & to not be nervous.
It’s a really dynamic and supportive class. There wasn’t a moment where I felt defeated. The class also flows very well and a makes the most of the 4 sessions. If you’re skeptical about Zoom acting classes (I certainly was!), don’t be! The pros far outweigh any cons, so go for it!
This class is perfectly balanced- part industry and part technique. Heidi breaks down the shrouded and confusing parts of the industry and explains how YOU as the actor fit into it all. This class will help you feel confident in an effective process and your ability to deliver clarity and “youness” in your work.
Learning about forming small technical things that I can change to make the audition feel much more in my own control.
It’s so much more than an acting class. For me, it was miraculous to see all levels of other actors learn and grow into who they can be. That brought me confidence in who I am as an actor. I gave the skills, the instincts, the talent. With this class I found them.
And to experience this life from Casting’s perspective was brilliant. Thank you!
Been working on this film from the other side of the camera and today is our final day of filming. As I reflected last night about my experiences from the “other” side, it brought up some of the importance and highlights from your classes. More so the “why”. Being prepared, being able to take adjustments, giving options in choices, being able to “get there” quickly, asking questions. It has given me something to think about and more insight the next time I’m back in front of the camera. Thank you for all your knowledge and the community you’ve created!
A wonderful class—it was truly so comprehensive and unlike any class I’ve had before.
“Someone thinks I can do this.”
I have an audition due tomorrow that I was feeling overwhelmed about, and then I remembered casting contacted me because they believe I can do this!!!
Thank you for [teaching us] that!
…my heart is absolutely like a 4th of July fireworks of gratitude. I booked a role on TV- my first ever TV gig- so heck yeah I’m celebrating! But everything you said happened and I was unfazed by the new lines and new props and the ever changing blockings they threw at me! I kept hearing your voice and imagining you having pom-poms and cheering me on!
I have truly not stopped talking about it with everyone I know since the moment it started. I feel like a whole new actor coming out the other side and that was only part 1!
Thank you so much for creating such a positive, supportive, & welcoming environment. I have been in so many scenarios where it wasn’t supportive or getting a note meant you’re wrong but your approach is so uplifting and confidence-boosting. I appreciate your way of teaching that is in anticipation of getting the role & being on set. I’m so glad to know that I have someone in the industry that has my back & is in my corner.
This was such a wonderful class! Other than the incredibly useful tips, Heidi created such a warm and vibrant space for learning where I felt supported as an artist. Her story was inspiring. I felt like the class gave me more agency as an actor. It’s empowered me to take hold of my career and my craft, and to trust that I’m on the right path in my journey.
Revolutionary. Great for an actor who is feeling a little stuck and wants to get unstuck. Great for the actor who doesn’t feel stuck because they realize they actually were! I have told so many people about this class already.
I have a starting point, and I no longer feel clueless. The power is in my hands to start cultivating the career I desire!
Heidi is really inviting, and she allows you to think and process through so many tools to be a stronger performer for the camera.
It’s not only about auditioning for the camera but gaining a better awareness of yourself and your place in the industry.
It’s so jam packed with juicy info. You’ll feel so at ease growing with a close, small group of peers in such a short amount of time. And you WILL learn/grow, no worries there. You’ll definitely feel like you used your time wisely by signing up! Plus Heidi is a gem!
An acting for camera class for the soul. You will discover talents that were already inside of you and you will grow more quickly than you thought possible.
A good look into the process—from the inception of an idea to being on set, and following this process from the view of the casting director.
In this class you’ll receive empowerment, encouragement, and quality engagement. You will leave taking ownership of your creative choices on camera.
This class will reinvigorate your perspective as an actor and a creator and give you the opportunity to really practice all of the technical and creative skills that you’ll need for self-tapes.
Thank you for continually working hard to find solutions and keep our momentum going! This is why art thrives beyond any disaster; Artists have the creativity and will to keep going.
I feel like my confidence has drastically improved which has informed everything.
Such a great class for actors at any level. Heidi was so wonderful about creating a safe space and supportive community to grow!
I feel so liberated from the pressures of having to *impress* people, and as a result I am getting good feedback on work that looks like I am genuinely having fun!
This is the perfect class for you to understand the power you possess in the audition room/self tape. Heidi empowers you to trust yourself, the camera and others in the room.
Community-driven safe space to explore acting on camera with talented actors and an incredibly supportive teacher.
In the moment, I knew that you were giving so much to us. And now as time has gone on, I can feel how the seeds you planted have helped me change my perspective, understand the craft and the industry, and feel more hopeful and inspired to tell stories and make meaningful work.
You are a special teacher whose lessons are so profound that they take life within you, growing and evolving far beyond the classroom setting.
Thank you for being you, and for what you do!
This has definitely changed the way I look at classes over zoom. So damn glad to have been in this with all of you, and so excited to know y’all! Community is something I’ve missed during this lull in work, but this class has filled my cup. Thank you y’all! And thank you Heidi!
Thank you to everyone for your kindness, patience, support and trust. And Heidi, thank you for understanding how to speak to us in an honest, yet gentle, manner. I clearly see why any actor who speaks of you has nothing but good reports.
I cannot be more thankful to have had such a wonderful group of artists to be in process with. We all take class to grow and push boundaries, and it meant so much to me that our zoom room was nurturing and positive while we navigated our challenges. Thank you, Heidi, for making that happen, and for imparting so much wisdom in such an encouraging way. I know my notebook is full.
This is a new day. Full throttle ahead. I was really emotional at the end of class Tuesday, something changed in me.
I will most likely take another class very soon.
Thanks for everything, Heidi.
I just wanted to send a huge thank you for such a fabulous class! I’m so impressed by how much you were able to include in only four classes. I was challenged in ways I didn’t expect, and have been forced to re-evaluate so much about myself, acting, and film/tv throughout this process really deeply.
I also wanted to express my gratitude for your faith in and respect for actors. It is so refreshing to work with someone who truly believes in actors in such an honest way, and I believe it is what allows us as students to thrive so much. Thank you for your warmth, attention to detail, and genuine love for the artform.
It’s a class that really builds self-awareness on who you are as a person, artist & creative collaborator. It helps you be a better auditioner and to let go of the idea of being the best actor you can be – be the best YOU!
This is an excellent, well-rounded class that not only helps you understand the craft of acting for camera, but also helps you understand your particular niche in the TV/Film industry. You will learn to see the industry from the perspective of casting and creatives, which is a valuable and necessary tool for any actor.
This class is vital. You receive a wide shot of the industry you feel like you’re fighting tooth and nail against only to realize it’s not such a big bad monster. This class gives you the information about to and film to assess where you fit and where you want to fit. That assessment is made through refining the audition technique as well as marketability as an actor, which allows you to go into the self tape with confidence you’re bringing something to the role they want and need.
This class is an excellent opportunity to get yourself on camera and push yourself to work productively and in a realistic audition setting
This time with Heidi ignited my soul. I needed this wake-up call to feed my spirit. This class had me giving myself an active hand in my career again. I revel in the excitement of collaboration again, of learning, of putting myself out there. Of making daring leaps in the industry.
This class will give you a clear understanding of what happens on the production side of tv/film, before actors are even thrown into the mix. It will put into perspective just how subjective casting is and how bringing your best, most authentic self is the way to succeed. It will help you pinpoint where you are most marketable and the types of roles that are in your wheelhouse. It will help you get more creative with your self tapes.
I’d say my level of commitment and focus increased dramatically. My ability to let go and drop in to that commitment has definitely helped with deepening my relationship to the character and the circumstances of the scene.
If you want to drastically get better and have a better feel for the business and where you fit in it, take this class. It’s different than any other class you’ve taken before, I promise.
This class provides great industry knowledge. You will work on your range and marketability. Heidi provides the best insight on marketability I have ever come across. The feedback and coaching you will receive are designed in such a way for you to take with you and to continue to grow on your own. You leave better equipped to handle the challenges of the industry while being inspired to do so.
It was really useful applying qualities to only certain moments in the scene rather than as a general wash and allows me to take adjustments that may feel conflicting!
It was great to play with the angles. I usually taped myself flat front and not at an angle towards the person I am speaking to. Volume. I learned that the volume I use when I am going over my scene is actually enough for the scene. Working inside the frame of the computer/phone screen was so helpful to know and watch as I played the recording back. How the eyes tell everything or nothing.
This class is one of the most beneficial I’ve ever taken. Not only is it on-camera acting, it’s how to play “the game”. You know, the audition techniques, the marketing tips, the mindsets required to stand out and get into the room and book the job.
I have a better understanding of eye line, and movement within a small space to show emotion and scenery change.
A beginner-friendly introduction into acting with a focus on mastering online auditioning through self taping and zoom.
This is a class where you will obtain the correct and detailed information on how the casting process is broken down. If you don’t feel you know how to connect or at least become marketable in a way that casting will want to see you, this class is the best way to shift your approach, attitude and perception towards CDs and the process as a whole.
The casting process will never be explained or broken down for you in another class like it is described in here.
This class with bridge that gap between the disconnect we(actors) have when it comes to the business of casting and what is required from us to be marketable/problem solvers for them.
informative and eye opening, a must attend!
I just wanted to say thank you for a wonderful class! Your perspective is so refreshing. I’m leaving this month feeling renewed and inspired to take on this pilot season!
Your classes are so supportive and nurturing, and you build an amazingly wonderful community within the Zoom classroom walls. I get excited to prepare fully and present my best takes so I can learn the most from you and my peers. You meet us where we are in the moment, then encouragingly push us forward. I’ve taken some other on-camera Zoom classes this quarantine, and your format is far and away the most fruitful one I’ve experienced so far (everything from the class size and length to the self-tape tech requirements to feedback to a nuanced focus on marketing and the current industry). I feel like in the eight classes of Parts 1 & 2 I have grown by leaps and bounds.
I enjoyed your class so much. It really put a lot of things in perspective for me and I haven’t felt so excited about acting in a long time. Thank you!!
I have learned more in your class, not just about acting for the camera, but about myself than I have doing anything since moving to NYC. Through doing your class I have gained so much of my self confidence and drive back and am so excited to put what we worked on into practice.
Take this class if you feel lost on who you are and how you fit in the industry! It also hits SO many aspects of what it’s like to work as an actor– and what you need to survive and thrive!
warm, well-structured, nurturing but still a challenge, a safe place to build tools and confidence for auditioning and working on screen
I wanted to thank you so much for such an incredible Part I experience. Your warmth, wisdom, and encouragement inspired me to take risks and grow, not only as an actor but as an artist. I got everything I wanted out of this class and more! Your passion for this industry has motivated me to start the new year with exciting goals. I can’t wait to utilize all the things I’ve learned.
Every audition is a chance to explore my character and my scene. That was REVOLUTIONARY to me. I will be walking into auditions and taping with a sense of freedom and play that I didn’t have or prioritize before. Letting go of my plan is SO FREEING (and fun!!!).
There is SO much I will be doing differently as I audition, from the moment I enter that zoom room to the moment I sign off.
SIGN UP NOW! This class goes so beyond the technicalities of taping, and invigorates you as the artist you are as a whole.
I have more fun during the process of preparing and have more confidence since I understand where the casting side is coming from now!
HEY YOU! YEA YOU! TAKE THIS CLASS! You will learn TON!!
All classes at your studio have a special effect on me that is different than other teachers I’ve studied with. I always leave class feeling inspired, hopeful, and buzzy. I think you also attract folks who are looking for more than just tips & tricks, hard-hitting instruction, or connections in the industry – you’ve really made a community.
Heidi understands how to explain what to expect and what is expected of you in auditions without it feeling overwhelming. She understands how to help with your acting while also reminding you, you are a business.
It is an excellent first film class to take, it will help you feel like you can confidently audition for films and know the techniques. But most importantly (and which I think is the absolute best part of this class, and which no other class I’ve taken has ever even attempted to cover) you receive invaluable information from your classmates and Heidi on your individual marketability possibilities, which has seriously helped my feeling of being lost in a giant crowd of actresses because of my perceived lack of individuality. I now know that I am unique and have a large list of roles and types and adjectives that I can refer back to when I am feeling stuck, frustrated, or overlooked, and that document alone is worth the price of admission. I highly recommend, each class was better than the last, and in just four classes I feel so much more prepared and knowledgeable about myself and the film industry.
Heidi Marshall is an intuitive teacher that describes with passion our industry from her perspective and experience. She is uniquely talented in her ability to communicate exactly how a performer can improve their work and will also give each member of the class ample attention to further sharpen their individual assets, talents, and tools.
It’s the most comprehensive introductory class for a person who is ready to start being seen by CDs and wants to start working. I feel so prepared!
Heidi is a warm, supportive, patient, understanding, skilled, honest, and caring teacher who shows you the ropes of the industry and guides you to greater ease and dynamism in acting for the camera. She is an expert and truly wants to take you to the next level, and the next, and the next! I highly recommend this class!
Now that the world has changed towards Self-tapes and Zoom auditions I now know how to infuse auditions with personality and a sense of play.
Heidi’s class is great! I have a much stronger understanding of my own marketability as well as a clearer understanding of the current auditioning climate
You have to take this class if you want to learn more about the TV/film industry, auditioning, and all you are capable of. I was constantly inspired and lit up each class, and had such a thrill diving into the preparations each week. Heidi is an absolute treasure with boundless knowledge and the ability to challenge you (while remaining supportive). She tells stories. I really look forward to taking Part 2.
I’m SO glad we did the marketability exercise — SO HELPFUL! That totally helps me determine what assets come through naturally on camera and which ones might need extra focus.
I am actually starting to seek out auditions for on camera work! I feel more confident!
Thank you for sharing all your wisdom, being so positive and helping all of us grow. I learned so much and now it’s about putting it into practice.
Heidi’s studio = high quality and raising your game in a safe and supportive environment
I had an incredible experience. I truly feel like I have a much stronger grasp onto the film tv industry then I did before.
I so appreciate the way you create a learning space that is safe and fun and rigorous. I have learned so much and it left me hungry to learn even more!
I cannot thank you enough! You helped me realize it is possible to stand up for your values and still be a professional actor. You taught me to trust my natural self and be in the moment. You taught me to have more confidence that there are more opportunities to come.
I just wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you for these past few weeks of class. I really looked forward to every session and am emerging very inspired with these new tools under my belt. Thank you for bringing so much to our zoom lessons as well as the resources and support! Super grateful to join the community.
Thank you so much for your guidance, support, and overall encouragement. I’m so grateful for the Heidi Marshall Studio Community. The Facebook page, the resources you post, and the pop ups are always so helpful.
This class has reinforced that someone in the audition room WANTS you to be the right fit for a role for a multitude of reasons.
I’ve learned to put less pressure on myself and to just do my best and be myself because I’ll be the only ME that a casting director will see.
I feel more confident about putting myself “out there” in terms of physicality and comedy, two things that would instantly form knots in my stomach when I saw them in audition material.
Also, I now know how people see me and how to use that to give my character a stronger point of view and personalize the scene more. I never thought about using my own strengths in the scene, that they want my essence!
Not to blow smoke, but seriously, this was one of the most educational and fulfilling classes I have ever taken. This class has impacted my auditions most significantly in that now I will actually actively seek out auditions for film and TV instead of just theatre. Now, I will 1) not put my own talents, my own complexity, range, creativity, and ideas in a box that I believe others will “want” or whatever. 2) I will use all those tools I learned to excavate the scene forwards and backwards, up and down, inside and out 3) trust myself, chill out in the audition room, make it about the work, and be my own best friend in times of fear or overwhelm.
I came away from this class with at least (!) two new fun tools to use in my preparations. I also anticipate working more often with colleagues (if not a coach) on my material before auditioning/self-taping, as my work in class absolutely benefitted from feedback.
With thorough preparation, I can audition for *so much more* than I thought, or was told.
Just wanted to give a big THANK YOU for such a wonderful class these last 4 weeks! It was lovely getting to know you and I genuinely looked forward to class every week. I took away so much, especially from the marketability class (so awesome that you wrote out our marketability ideas and sent them to us) and our last class (loved the exercise where we gauged how far we were going with our character adjectives on a scale of 1-10)! I also loved how small the class was and how intimate it truly felt, no doubt due to how you conducted everything, too! Hope to work with each other again soon.
Your classes have been such an amazing outlet to let my artistic juices to flow. And I truly will always remember this time in my life.
As I reflect on the year that has passed, I am filled with gratitude. One of the major thanks I have for the year is to you; how you have been an advocate for me and created opportunity for me (and so many like me) to tap into greater potential!
What an enormously beautiful and beneficial experience. Thank you for your expertise, enthusiasm, and guidance thru this process.
I am so much more comfortable in front of the camera now, and am really going to lean into my sense of play going into any audition room. I’m so much better at taking adjustments and being open to receiving them. It’s been a treat to watch each take back and see the growth and changes between them.
I feel empowered! The audition room used to feel like a scary place but now it feels like a safe place to play. I will do EVERYTHING I learned in audition rooms. Especially changing the energy of the room. Thank you!!!
I had this idea in my head that I had to be totally still and subtle to the point of being unnatural, and as silly as it sounds, I’ve realized that on camera acting really is just acting! I think I’ve loosened up and am trusting my instincts more.
And I’m putting myself out there more for on-camera auditions—I’ve booked two upcoming short films, which I think will be great practice.
Just wanted to tell you I booked a co-star role! I can’t thank you enough for all you taught us in your Part 1 class. I am new to the tv film world, and your class really pushed me outside my comfort zone and has helped me own auditions these past few weeks!
I have a new perspective/understanding of how much I’m ALLOWED to OWN my presence in the room in my auditions. In fact, I have to! And I do my best work when I do so.
I feel like I have a lot more fluid approach. I am no longer approaching auditions from a place of getting it right and am approaching it from a place of putting my own stamp on things.
I learned more in these 4 weeks than I have in the years of acting classes I’ve taken. It was a perfect balance of working on the craft and learning about the business. THANK YOU HEIDI!
I really realized in the final class how it feels to contain myself to the “plan” out of fear, versus how it feels to allow myself to take in, be vulnerable to my scene partner (especially when I’m telling myself that the character is not supposed to be as vulnerable as I am!), and let behavior come out of those small, specific moments.
I think ownership of the audition process shifted the most for me. It’s always been such a daunting process for me and I’m getting better at walking in with confidence and a little reckless abandon.
This class has given me the confidence to go into an on camera audition and feel like I can give my 100% without thinking I’m doing something wrong or flying by the skin of my teeth. I will walk in knowing how to slate properly and how to handle an on camera audition vs. before I had no clue how they were even run.
I realized that for many years I was presenting myself in a wrong way. I was more concerned about what they wanted me to do. Now I can create a character of my own to inspire others, and it is so exciting to think this way! I think this will replace my nervous energy with positive exciting energy at auditions!
I absolutely LOVED this class. I accomplished my goals of feeling more confident in front of the camera and getting better at audition skills all while having a great time. And it was such a warm and supportive environment. Every single piece of advice, note, and direction from you was extremely helpful and I left knowing how to continue forward with my goals each class. I also said in the first class that I was feeling embarrassed and ashamed walking into an audition and submitting and that has completely disappeared and for that, I am grateful. Thank you Heidi 🙂
This past fall – due in no small part to your class – I was cast as a series regular on a new Amazon show.
Exciting news: I booked my first Co-Star role on CBS’s Elementary!! I filmed it last week and it went so well.
I can’t wait to get back into class soon!
Thank you so much for everything! I’m really grateful for all the breakthroughs I’ve had in your class. You are incredible and have such a wonderful wealth of knowledge.
I’m grateful for all you do afterwards to keep us connected and engaged as well.
You’ve completely reinvigorated my love for acting on camera.
Your class was genuinely a very big factor in what finally allowed myself to fully understand and accept that the choices I make are mine and no one is “better”— we just bring ourselves differently to the character.
THANK YOU for always going out of your way to give such thoughtful and helpful tips and personal stories. And thank you for providing a community of support and knowledge on Facebook!!
Heidi—I had an in-depth audition the other day where the director gave me notes and worked with me on all the material he had me prepare. Because of what you talked about your Part I class about the process and watching the actor “working through it,” I gave myself permission to take the time I needed to process the feedback before doing the second iterations. I feel like in the past I would have rushed immediately into doing it again. So grateful for the experience with you in class!
I wanted to thank you again for our session yesterday. It was so fun and inspiring, and my manager was super happy with the clip options.
Thank you for making this journey so warm, inviting, and so so simple!! I feel so much more confident in front of the camera because of you! Can’t wait to be on set!
Thank you again for such a wonderful class! It’s been so long since I was in a classroom setting and acting class that I was legitimately pretty scared going into this, but you’re so kind and wise—you truly gave me a lot to think about and use going forward.
Thank you thank you for your patience and generosity!
I’m seeing the effects of taking your class almost immediately. I don’t know if it’s the newfound confidence, the on-camera training, or the new clips on my website, but something’s working!
I’ll probably keep repeating this over and over again but you have no idea how excited I am to be in class with you. I thought I’d be terrified to learn this new medium, but all of that fear has turned into excitement! I’m excited to get messy and fail and learn in this safe place.
Your thorough, process-driven approach is something that allows students to discover and really have the “ah ha” moments organically. Thank you for making Part 1 a very safe, human, and demystifying experience.
I booked my first ever pilot here in LA! Shout out to the #HeidiMarshalltechnique saving my ass!!!
I walked out of the room feeling confident and proud of what I did! That NEVER happens when I audition for tv lol SO THANK YOU!! The tools you provided have been extremely helpful and I can’t wait to work with you again in the future.
I can’t tell you how completely influential and helpful and transformative it all was.
I had been feeling stuck coming into your class, but your class reinvigorated me and gave me new ways to approach the business.
I am still reeling from our incredible class. I learned so much and am feeling EMPOWERED! I feel like I am finally ready to leap off the edge I was hesitating on!
I can’t thank you enough for all you have taught me, how much better you’ve made me and how much you’ve changed me. Not only as an actor, but as a human. You are magic.
Thank you so much for such a beautiful, inspiring class. I loved learning from you and my classmates. I already felt like I knew how to audition, but now I really feel like i know how to succeed and bring more of myself into the room.
How do I possibly begin to thank you for the invaluable learning experience you’ve given me! And! While creating a home environment with your warm and encouraging spirit. You’ve nurtured a new and energized wave of thinking in me. I’ve more clarity about how I’m viewed professionally within the industry and how I view myself as an artist personally. It’s refreshing to have a more holistic approach to the industry, marketing, auditions, preparation, and self creating. I also had one of the better auditions of my 6 year stint here in NY. Not only did I show my commitment and eagerness to perform to the Creative Team, I showed it to myself. It was a total game changer for me.
YOU have made such a BIG difference in many, Many, MANY ways for me.
Heidi Marshall: THE HYPE IS REAL. I am so fucking happy to be in your class.
Your class was exactly what I needed in my life right now. I feel empowered and inspired.
“Dear actor friends, who dread auditioning even though you’re painfully, amazingly great actors… get thee to Heidi Marshall’s audition class ASAP. You’ll experience a paradigm shift and start loving auditions. I certainly have! I can’t say enough good things about her class. Seriously.
Thank you so much for that coaching session. Truly feel inspired and prepared for this shoot.
I’m now more confident than ever about my my career and where I’m at in my journey.
Very seldom in life are things ever as promised. My audition, my first ever without singing, was as if I had done a dozen prior to. Your class presented the geography of the room as it actually was. You gave me the mind-set that allowed me to hold to the points I needed and ignore the ones I did not need. I was, I guess we can assume, successful. [He booked HBO on his first audition!]
I learned WAY more than I was expecting about acting as a whole, not just for the camera, and about myself as a performer and artist. I am very grateful for the extreme care and clear effort you put into your work with your students.
Your class was one of the best things I did for myself as an actor this year and what you’ve created and continue to foster is such a wonderful source of information and encouragement and community. What you’re doing has brought me so much value and I wanted to thank you.
Thanks for EVERYTHING HEIDI! Really incredible insight. Such a great class. So helpful. Hope to see you soon for coaching on a project!
Thank you for everything- working with you has definitely been both eye opening and game changing.
I draw on things I learned from you every time I get in front of a camera whether it’s a job or an audition, and I am amazed at how much my experience of film and TV has changed since that time.
I can honestly say that after taking your classes, the way that I prep for auditions has completely changed. I am so much more confident and prepared now so that I can just have fun and let go in the room.
“I learned so much and you are so gracious and supportive. I am working hard to put that knowledge into play. I don’t feel like an unleashed ballon floating around all over the place. Because of your class I feel more grounded because I have a fuller tool chest.
"I just wanted to make sure I properly communicated to you how this class was so much more than I ever expected. It wasn't just about film and tv technique but about who we are as people, finding our unique voice and believing that this is what is going to get us work. Everything else is out of our control really. That's my Biggest take away. So THANK YOU again for being YOU and for wanting to teach.
Since taking your class I have booked two theater jobs and signed with an agent. I feel completely different in my auditioning, stage and screen. I am so grateful for your incredible class and for your generosity of spirit! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
You are such an inspiration to me and a reminder to stick to my guns. Your generosity and love of teaching and the craft creates a safe and encouraging space in which to learn. And I saw my classmates just bloom over the 4 weeks.
“I just wanted to thank you so much for the amazing learning environment you created in the four classes I had such a pleasure of being a part of! I took so many good notes, have so many great take away’s, and now feel much more comfortable and trusting of myself in the room with a camera pointed at me! I can’t thank you enough!
Your class was the beginning of an unlocking thing that really helped me find my way back into the work I love.
Thank you for pushing me to my limits and places I didn’t know I could go. I left last night with more confidence in film that I ever have.
“Your class is really a joy and inspiring in all the best ways I know of in our business/adventure.
As I shoot a drama serial in Karachi, Pakistan, I remind myself of the acting tips I learned in class. They are handy across languages! Thank you.
So much of my confidence has been boosted after working with you. Understanding my brand, my actor triggers, etc has really made a difference. I know that I have a lot more to learn (always), but instead of waiting I’m being proactive…which is huge for me. My website, my resume, even my new headshots are all thanks to you! You’re a fantastic teacher but more importantly you’re just a great person
I feel reenergized and inspired to stay acting and to be in this biz… I’ve regained a confidence in my ability to act, and certainly have rekindled a major passion to work hard at my craft and get better and better at it, and this is after a long period of feeling quite “rusty” and not being sure if I could even do it anymore… Feels Like I’m de-rusting for sure. And I also love your emphasis on staying creative in all ways, daily!! It’s certainly one of the roadblocks I’ve experienced in my life, that of giving up the daily discipline of creating, the ritual of it, because life and finances are just too tough! Ah, fear and excuses…. Happy to say I am now of the mind it’s never too late to start a career and a creative life anew…
I am reeling from last night's class. Couldn't sleep till 3 A.M. - it was like I had an acting red bull that's organic and good for you. Thank you for creating a safe place to play and share. Your teachings are spot on, your intuition too. I was so nervous after the first class hearing about your journey with Rent and La Boheme. Then I remembered you are a human being too!! And an amazing one!! So thank you for putting me at ease not without a little nudging to unearth the goods! I will always welcome those adjustments! I feel a great sense of accomplishment and peace after your class.
Thanks again for an amazing 4 weeks. It’ was super fun and some amazing take aways that I’ll be putting into practice!
Everything from your class is synthesizing and I feel I’m unlocking my potential in auditioning. Grabbing that low-hanging fruit! I cannot thank you enough.
I just realized today that over the past week I’ve been a happier person. I thought, maybe it’s me trying to change my overall attitude, but I’ve had an epiphany that it’s being in your class and it’s working! It’s the same feeling I get when I write, I think it’s because I’m creating and being proactive, so thank you again for your wisdom and encouragement!!
Thank you for the advice you gave me at the end of Part 1 camera class. You tell us to create the projects we want to be in and make them happen. Your advice may be simple, but it opens physical and artistic doors that make this career so rewarding.
I feel very strongly about nurturing my community of fellow artists, and it is so nice be in a room where that is encouraged. This class has taught me a lot about the business and myself, and lit a fire under my ass in the process!
I'm missing the tough and wonderful work of your acting class. Just had to take 5 seconds to say thank you for the way you show up for us, push us, tell us the truth, and find magical ways to make us do better. Wow.
Thanks for such an amazing class… I feel ready to walk into any audition and present myself confidently.
Your class was everything my friend promised: so much more than acting class. Your love of actors and the support system are found nowhere else.
I’d love for you to know that I still apply your audition technique years later and find it invaluable. In fact I just booked a recurring role on Boardwalk Empire season 3
Watching not just everyone in the class, but also watching you work and approach things has been SOOO informative, and it’s been a while since I’ve worked some of these muscles with a lot of the work I’ve been doing the last couple of years, so it’s exciting and terrifying in the best way.
It’s been a huge revelation for me. When four different people told me to sign up because you would be perfect for what I was looking for, I knew I needed this in order to feel more confident moving forward- and the class more than delivered. To feel like I can focus on the acting because the mystery of the room and the process has been cleared up for me is EVERYTHING. Honestly, the information you gave us in the first class alone would have been worth the price of the 4 weeks. I am totally grateful and can’t wait to come back for more.
I loved your class and it really did help to boost my confidence ( as well as my skills) as I head back out to the wilds of LA.
I had a good casting session with several indie film casting directors at Network event. I have to say, that they loved the picture you suggested as an Indie shot, overall the scene was a big hit, and it was wonderful to be able to direct them to my website to see my reel for other work. Thanks for pushing for those things to come together.
It was really nice to get to know you again after all these years, and I do feel that what I learned in the class has fundamentally changed how I audition on camera. No small thing!
Today was the first audition where I really felt like I took back the power in the room, and thus no matter what happens, I feel really great about what I did! And more confident in my abilities for next time. Do I think it was the best work I’ve done in an audition? No, definitely not, but it was definitely the best overall audition experience I’ve had in a looong, looong time, or maybe ever. And now I feel like I can focus more on the prep for the actual work – I know, craaaazy idea- instead of freaking out about going into the room. All thanks to techniques you’ve shared with us. I just had to share that with you. Thank you!!
I have been doing this since I was 5 years old, taken a million acting classes and yours was the only one that I actually felt truly helped me as a blocked artist.
It can be very hard, as one gets older, to dig into what blocks you- impeding your work, your flow, your joy, etc- and I am deeply grateful to you for giving me a safe space in which I can reveal those things so I can exorcise it and be in my bliss again!
I have been reflecting on the class all week and whenever i think about it i feel calm. Just calm about my work and calm about the future and that is rare for me. Your class really is a safe space to work in and i’ve not felt that before. Thank you again so much for a truly unique and amazingly fun class! I really do feel very changed as an actor.
Thank you so much for all of your help and incredible insight. I have learned so much from you these past couple of months. I feel so much more confident in auditions situations– on or off camera. And I feel like I have a deeper understanding of myself as an actor– my unique essence, and a deeper appreciation of it. As well as how to keep it light! 🙂
Your class is just what I needed. You have such a wonderful, positive and inspiring way of helping others. Thank you very very very much for choosing to help us actors do what we love and do it well! I love you!
I just wanted to thank you, Heidi, so much for all your encouragement and genuine support. I just attended an Actors Connection event with a group of panelists, mostly casting directors, and it highlighted how rare and amazing your passion for working with actors really is. I'm beginning to understand what it means to do the job of bringing "all of yourself" as an actor to an audition (what it really means to PREPARE), and it's just making me reflect on what that means for a casting director too. It's such invaluable insight for an actor to have and think about, and I want to thank you so much for the part you've played in helping your actors understand the dynamic that exists in the audition room.
I know what I’m doing in the theater, I know when it’s working and when it’s not. I can’t tell with camera. I guess it’s just going to take time and constant working. In all, I’m still trying to get out of the mode of doing it right, but doing it me. Because no one can be me and when I let myself just be me, I think it’s a pretty special thing. Thanks for listening. Working it out.
Can’t be more excited and thankful for your class, your spirit, your mentoring!!!! I would say you’re one of the few truly supporting, honest, authentic amazing artists out there right now. You are doing magic for us, keep it up!!!!
Tuesday was really special, I walked away with such a sense of self and power as a performer unlike ever before. Can’t wait to dive deeper.
I’m really loving all that’s happening in class. Thank you for your continuous encouragement and inspiration.
just want to thank you! I had an audition this morning that I’ve been dreading for a number if reasons but I went in an applied your audition tips and I felt great! For the first time, ever, I really allowed myself time to think the thoughts and let the scene breathe. I’m so thrilled that I decided to take your class. It’s already paying off. Can’t wait to learn more.
For me there was just so much reminding going on. The stuff that we may take for granted and just assume it’s going to work for us always but really, it will never if you don’t constantly work at it and keep it fresh… I.e. Listening, connecting, letting the work go and just being present. I’m learning to be still and simple. It’s hard for me! But I was shocked at what happened when I just sat and allowed things to happen. It all just showed up and felt truthful and alive. I can’t wait to continue exploring the intimacy that is acting on camera!
I can’t say Thank you enough for being one of the best if not THE BEST teacher in town, I’m so grateful to have met you and to have the opportunity to explore my craft deeper in such a positive environment!
[What shifted most about acting on camera] confidence with being real, ugly, messy. swinging between opposing emotions, making bigger choices! less self consciousness!
I knew my lines and beats, and I told myself “have fun!” And ya know what? I even surprised myself! I focused on my reader and listened and they all laughed through the entire take. Then the director gave me an adjustment and I did it again (AND I even asked questions!) and they laughed AGAIN all the way through it!!! Thank you for all that you impart in me/us and for your Unbelievable Positivity!! God bless you. I had so much fun I was floating on air afterward.
Full disclosure—please note that we do not guarantee that actors in these workshops will be hired for any project that we might direct or cast. We do guarantee my supportive honesty and my open sharing of knowledge. We teach and coach because we enjoy supporting actors as they develop their process of working within the audition room. We seek to build their knowledge about the business of auditioning.