Technology of disappearing...

With as accessible as everyone is today through social networking, it is kind of amazing how easily you can make someone’s presence disappear too. Block someone from Facebook (or if someone blocks you) and it’s like they never existed. You don’t see them in friend lists, you don’t see their posts, all wall communications disappear. It’s almost like the friendship never happened...

Erin Cronican Update: Volume 3

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I posted this update on my website as well as on my Facebook Fan Page, but I thought I would go ahead and post it here as well.

Life is good, folks. Life is good. I have had a bunch of wonderful things happen recently that I am excited to share. First of all, I have several agent meetings set up for next week, and it is my hope to add someone new to my team in early September. I will be sure to let you know more when things get solidified.

Last weekend I completed production on the short film, "Peace Aqua." It’s a touching project, and the new friends I made are consummate professionals. I also learned that no matter how much sunscreen you use, if you shoot in the sun for 8 hours you ate likely to get burned in odd places.

Friday I was called by the casting office at "One Life To Live" and was offered another Under 5 role on the hit soap opera. This time I am playing a florist. I pick up my script on September 8 and shoot on September 11. I can't wait! Be sure to check out credits like these on IMDB.

As most of you know, a movie I have a small part in just came out in theaters. "Cold Souls" starring Paul Giamatti is in limited release, and you can see me in the theater scenes as the Assistant to the Director. Unfortunately, the scene with my lines was severely shaved down, but I still get some screen time (unlike a few of my co-stars who were cut out entirely. It is always so terrible when that happens!)

I have been spending my Sunday evenings at the Algonquin Salon, which is an open mic event at the famed Algonquin Hotel. I started recording the songs - you can listen to these live recordings here. If you’re free from 7pm-10:30pm, we’d love to have you stop by! Be sure to arrive by 6:30pm if you are interested in singing (and bring sheet music in your key.)

Check me out - I'm taking over the webosphere!

Erin on IMDB
Erin on Twitter
Erin on YouTube
Erin in Facebook
Bite-Size Business for Actors


Keep rockin' and rollin'...

Erin =)


Erin Cronican's career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has toured nationally with plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. For more information, please visit http://www.erincronican.com.

Acting on Location

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The alarm went off at 5:15am on Friday morning, and I quietly got myself ready to catch a cab and be at the transport van at 6am. We were headed to The Hamptons for Day 1 of a four day shoot of this 11 minute short film. The sun had not yet come up as the 12 of us crammed into the van, ready for our 2 hour trek to Rogers Beach in Westhampton. A large platter of goodies was passed around for breakfast- bagels, danishes, fresh fruit, juices and water. As usual, someone mistakes butter for cream cheese and curses the darkness as he takes the first bite of thick butter. Why they neglect to label the condiment tubs is beyond me, because that always happens! There are only two actors in the van- myself and the Tony Award winner who plays my fiance in the film. He regales us with stories of his numerous times on Broadway, and I fight to keep a cool smile on my face while inside I am bursting with joy. As I like to tell people, I am swimming in the pond with the big fishes, and it feels heavenly.

We arrive at our location around 8:30am. We were there so early that the public restrooms were not open, so I changed into my costume, a bathing suit, in the back of the van (thank goodness for tinted windows.) The actors and makeup/wardrobe department set up shop at the public gazebo overlooking the ocean. Not a bad way to start the day. The first 45 minutes is spent trying to cover my co-stars tattoos and a few of my bruises with heavy duty makeup (my bruises came from an incident between myself and a rogue MTA bus door, which chose to close prematurely.) Because it was a beach scene, my makeup and hair we done quickly and naturally, and we were sent down to set, which was at the water’s edge.

When we reached set, I was delighted to find that the film would be shot on the RED camera. There was only one scene to be shot for the majority of the day, but this scene opens the movie so a lot of attention was paid to getting the elements just right. Wide angle lenses were used to capture the location, and my opening sequence involved me running from the water to my co-star who was sitting up on the sand. It’s been years since I had to run barefoot on sand and I had forgotten how taxing it is on your legs and feet! It has also been years since I spent any kind of extended time in the sun - and we were on set without shade from 10am-5pm. And no matter how much sunscreen you put on, when you are baking during those midday hours, the sun will find a way to win. I have splotches of minor sunburn on all major parts of my body. Hopefully those don’t show up on camera - it is shot in HD, after all!

My co-star and I had a great time playing together in the scene and giving some depth and complexity to the characters. In between set-ups, the crew was kind enough to spray us with mists of water and held umbrellas over our heads so we wouldn’t get overheated. We had lots of onlookers wondering what our project was about, and between the attention of the crew and of the beach-goers, I felt a bit like a movie star. At 5pm my co-star and I were wrapped for the day. The crew still needed several shots that didn’t involve us, so they arranged for transport back to the city via the Hamptons Jitney, which I had never ridden before (they serve drinks and snacks on board!) I did my best to stay awake as we make the trip back, but as the sun set I found my eyes grow heavier and heavier. My mind kept seeing pictures from the day as I say to myself, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this!”

I shoot my final scene on Monday, in a mansion in Connecticut. I’ll be sure to let you all know when you can see footage from the film...


Erin Cronican's career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has toured nationally with plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. For more information, please visit http://www.erincronican.com.

Your Life in Song

Found this on Facebook and it sounded like fun! So here’s my version...

ONE ARTIST, ONE SONG!
Using your favourite artist, see if you can answer each question using one of their song titles.

Artist: Toad The West Sprocket

Are you male or female: One Little Girl

Describe yourself: Butterflies

How do you feel about yourself: Nothing is Alone

Describe your current boy/girl situation: Don’t Fade

Describe where you currently live: Little Heaven

If you could go anywhere you wanted to go: Walk On The Ocean

Your favourite form of transportation: One Wind Blows

Your best friend(s) is (are): Nothing Is Alone

Your favorite colour is: Pale Blue

Favourite time of day: Nightingale Song

If your life were a TV show, what would it be called: Scenes From A Vinyl Recliner

Describe the world's current predicament: Whatever I Fear

Where do you suspect you might end up in the afterlife?: Little Budda

What is life to you: Always Changing Probably

What is the best advice you have to give: I Will Not Take These Things For Granted

Big screens and small recordings

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Today I saw myself in a major feature film- Cold Souls, starring Paul Giamatti, which opened in theaters yesterday. I play a very small role, the assistant to the director, who was played by Michael Tucker. Not much of what I shot remained in the film (including my whispered dialogue to the director) but there I was, larger than life on the big screen. What fun! The movie is funny at times, touching at times, and it is beautifully shot and acted. I'd suggest going to see it if you get a chance.

I had some other good news this week. I booked a leading role in a SAG short, being shot in The Hamptons and Connecticut at the end of August. The audition was great- my instincts for the role must have been dead on, because after the first read, the director exclaimed, "That's exactly what I wanted!" It's that kind of response that energizes you and keeps you in the game. There are lots of times that, even as a good actor, you just don't offer what the creative team wants. It doesn't mean you're bad, you're just not what they had in mind. So it is always so wonderful to connect in the audition room.

I am on my way to meet up with a composer who is doing a demo recording of a musical he wrote. It's been running quite a while in NJ, but he now wants to consider a NY production and needs a top notch recording of the key songs to help shop the project around. Today I am taking a listen to a couple of the numbers I am doing- looking forward to that!

Beyond that, I have a few meetings set up with agents to help me navigate the waters as my career grows and progresses. One in particular is promising, but all agents in the office have to sign off on new clients and I haven't met them all yet. I am waiting for the next step (which is to do a vocal audition) which isn't for a few weeks. I'll let you know how things progress.

I've been enjoying keeping up with you all on Facebook. Hope to see you there on my fan page!


Erin Cronican's career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has toured nationally with plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. For more information, please visit http://www.erincronican.com.

My new postcard

One of my "special skills" is that I do graphic design. I am especially proud because it matches the colors on my website and this blog. Thought I would share!

Oh, the Fake Fans You'll Find...

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Just got another one of these “fan” requests:

Hi Erin,

I am a fan of you and your work as an actress. I hope you are doing well and wanted to know how I can get an autographed photo of you. I tried to write you a while back, but never heard anything and wanted to try again. Thanks so much for your time. I wish you continued success and blessings :) Take Care and have a great week.

~ (name redacted)
Boaz, AL (full address redacted)

At least this one included an address. Most of them don’t, which leaves me scratching my head a little. Seriously, it’s not that I think I am not worthy of having a fan, but I’d have to really drink the Kool-Aid to believe that this someone wanting my autograph for legitimate reasons... =)

UPDATE (8/26/09): Check out the comments on this blog to learn why I post these kinds of fan requests on my blog. To see other fan letters (and their comments) click below:

Creepy Never Ends
Really- Who Are You?
Fan Request

Actors who are forewarned are forearmed!


Erin Cronican's career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has toured nationally with plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. For more information, please visit http://www.erincronican.com.