A video wish

The email arrived on Friday a week ago. The deadline was last Wednesday.

The assignment was a tough one: I had to create a short video congratulating two friends who were about to be married. But it got worse: one of the grooms-to-be is a writer and creates commercials and corporate videos for a living. And to set the standard even higher, all of those who had been invited to participate in the project were creative types.

Here's what the email said: "Over the next few days, would you please take a few seconds to create a video wish for that fabulous couple we all know and love, Jerry Williams and Mark Reed? And it's a surprise, so send it to me ... and keep it secret for the next week. On Oct. 25, Jerry and Mark will get married in Maryland. They're keeping the event very low-key, but Shenandoah [Jerry's daughter] and I thought it would still be cool to surprise them, upon their return, with (almost) real-time video wishes from family and a few close friends.

"Here's all you have to do: Grab your phone and use it to record a short video with your wedding wishes for Jerry and Mark. 15-20 seconds is perfect (we all know Jerry's attention span) ... We'll edit everything into one video and put it on a DVD to present to Jerry and Mark for a lifetime of enjoyment."

After I thought about what an unusual and appropriate idea this was, the magnitude of the task hit me. My video had to be good -- damned good -- because of the company it would be keeping. And I had to make it short.

Overwhelmed, I decided to let ideas percolate for a few days. That's essentially how I write. It's rare for me to just sit at the keyboard and knock something out (although I am ashamed to say it might often look that way). I get an idea, then another one, then still another. As the deadline looms, I reject some ideas and work on refining others. By the time I have to actually write something, it's already written in my head.

I should not have been, but when I saw the final cut of the video yesterday, I was surprised at how original we had all been, each in our own distinct way. The result was a really slick tribute, just under four minutes long, celebrating the fact that after 23 years, nine months and 1 week, Mark and Jerry had run off to Maryland to make their union legal.

In the end, the video wasn't about those of us who participated. It was about Mark and Jerry.

And they liked it.

Last night, Jerry sent us all an email: "Thanks to all of you from both of us ... we were both amused and touched by the love and laffs."

If you'd like to see the video, click here: http://youtu.be/NTo1Ln-cQW8