A young girl struggles to survive in a dystopian school for future celebrities in Wylie Anderson’s short film, How to Cry on Command.
Eleven-year-old Mattie’s (Colyse Harger) future hangs in the balance as she is in a counselor’s meeting at her grad school, the Celebrity Preparatory for Girls. In no uncertain terms, Mattie’s time at Celeb Prep hinges on whether she can cry on command, as it will bolster her acting and social media brand and profile. The problem is Mattie just can’t do it, and she is prohibited from using any external aids…which is cause for expulsion.

“…Mattie’s time at Celeb Prep hinges on whether she can cry on command…”
How to Cry on Command is a fun and satirical look at the demands placed on young actresses and influencers if they want to live the easy life of fame. No longer are these influences subliminally transferred in the dark recesses of YouTube but not taught directly in school with classes in Coming Back from Cancel Culture, The New Body Positivity, and Appearing Human.
Writer/director Wylie Anderson appears to get it in How to Cry on Command…gets the pressure, the trappings, and the irony of what children are taught about social media, branding, and fame. This very relevant message is all encapsulated in its fifteen-minute runtime.
There’s so much to dig into that How to Cry on Command has legs to keep the story going. Colyse Harger is perfect as the struggling child actor and she simply nailed the very sci-fi ending this story needed.
For more information about How to Cry on Command, visit Wylie Anderson’s Instagram page.