Jeffrey N. Hirschberg, M.A.

Courses Taught

TFA 201: Introduction to Television and Film Arts
TFA 301: TV and Film Criticism
TFA 460: Adaptation
ENG 305 and 402: Feature Screenplay Sequence

About Jeffrey Hirschberg

A graduate of Cornell University and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, Jeffrey Hirschberg is a professor and the founding director of the Television and Film Arts (TFA) program at SUNY Buffalo State University, which he launched in 2006. 

A Writers Guild of America (WGA) member, Jeffrey had a stint at NBC, sold a series to Showtime, participated in the ABC Daytime Writer Development Program, and directed the WGA’s TV Pilots Resurrected program at Lincoln Center. His short films and pilot have been screened at major festivals, and his debut novel, Completely Incomplete, is set to be released next year. 

Jeffrey is also the author of the book, Reflections of the Shadow: Creating Memorable Heroes and Villains for Film and TV, and the book chapter, Behind the Greenlight: Why Hollywood Makes the Films it Makes (published in The Business of Entertainment). He has presented at the University Film & Video Association and has won the Broadcast Education Association’s Academic Research and Scholarly Paper Competition. 

Since its inception, Jeffrey has created several key initiatives for TFA, including the program’s annual trip to the Toronto International Film Festival, the TFA Pioneer Awards, the TFA Semester in New York City, and the TV Pilot capstone course. He has also served as TFA’s internship coordinator, assisting students in securing dozens of internships across the entertainment industry.

His home life consists of his wife, Cindy, three sons, and two poorly trained dogs—Stanley and Kirby, named after comic book legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.