New York Woman Was Randomly Approached to be a Director. She Turned Out to be a Natural: ‘My Therapist Died’

New York City has a reputation as a haven for artists, with Broadway and the world-famous Met museum right along its corners. Still, nobody would’ve expected Brenda, a woman approached by 15 Second Film (@15.secondfilm), to be a natural director.

15 Second Film on TikTok is known for approaching people to direct a short film. They have a crew and cast. All the director needs to do is come up with a plot and a short script and then direct. The small film crew has approached people from all walks of life, from a retired economics professor to an actual director.

They approached Brenda, who happened to be crossing a street. When asked if she’d want to direct, she said, “For fifteen seconds, I’m in.” She wrote her name on the clapperboard, and the actors sprung into action.

“Your prompt is deceased. What’s your story?” The host of the series, Becca Ford, asked.

“I’m taking that one personally,” Brenda joked, adding, “Dead therapist. That’s the story.”

A natural director

For the first shot, Brenda started executing her vision like a pro—with full lines ready for the actors to say.

“You’re on your phone. You just got this horrendous news, and you say, ‘It can’t be. I have a session at 2!'” Brenda expressed it all with the stresses, as a director would. She even decided that the shot should be taken as a wide, only for it to zoom in as a close-up when the actor starts weeping.

Even the phone had to act under Brenda’s command, with one shot of it falling on the pavement as the actor hears the terrible news that their therapist just died. But not all is lost—the director made the other actor play as a therapist who bumps into the distraught man.

Brenda had a plan for everything—from the shots to the storyline and even the actors’ microexpressions. A man named Oscar, who personally knew Brenda, passed by the street. He wasn’t even surprised that Brenda was directing a short film.

“I’m the fucking director!” Brenda told her friend, and he laughed it off.

“Of course you are, Brenda. You know what? I’m surprised you aren’t smoking a cigarette like Bette Davis, like, ‘Throw the camera in the trash!'” Oscar quipped, but it seems like Brenda is some sort of pro.

“Not in front of young people,” she joked. But Brenda wasn’t just acting like a director. Her short film impressed TikTok. Surprisingly, the short film, titled ‘My Therapist,’ could stand toe-to-toe with the other impromptu productions other real directors made with 15 Second Film.

Is Brenda a real professional director?

“My therapist died,” one of the actors said after the phone clattered. Then, a man passing by checked on him—and what made the film look like a convincing ad for therapy was the professional angles. The lines flowed naturally from the actors, and the actors nailed Brenda’s instructions.

It’s a success for the whole crew, but TikTok gave Brenda tons of applause. Some even think that Brenda’s work could pass off as a therapy ad.

One commenter said, “Brenda is legit a natural at this.”

With another joke, “Okay Brenda, now direct my life.”

Someone else speculated, “No way Brenda hasn’t worked on set before.”

Another person asked, “Is Brenda famous? I feel like I know her. Is she an actor in real life?”

And the internet was right to suspect—15 Second Film stumbled upon Brenda Cullerton, an actress, author, and creative consultant. She has also starred in four films as an actress. Although Brenda isn’t a director, she’s definitely a star.

(featured images: 15 Second Film)

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