The Gory-Juicy Secrets Behind My Promo Video

When I found out from my publisher that they wanted me to have a promo video done for my book my first reaction was panic. I wish I could tell you that it was excitement but it wasn’t. It was panic. How am I going to do this? What do I say? Who’s going to want to watch a video about me? All of these thoughts raced through my head at rapid speed. With the final one: I don’t think I can do this.

Does this ever happen for you? You get assigned a task and right out of the gate you’ve got Satan whispering lies in your ear?

What do we do?

We dismiss those lies and forge ahead with confidence that God will sustain us.

And that’s what I did.

I called my friend, Steve…

“Steve, I have to hire someone to do a promo video for my book. Who do I get?”

Without a beat, “Chris Hussar,” hire him. He’ll do a great job.” Steve and Chris work side by side at our church. Chris is the Creative Director. And that’s exactly what I needed, someone creative who could pull this off with me.

Chris agreed to do my video and things got moving. Then Chris asked if my husband were available for shooting. What Mike? Why does he need Mike? Chris needed B-roll. B-roll? B-roll with Mike and me?

Oh boy, this is where it’s gonna get interesting.

First, who’s going to want to see shots of my husband and me? Really? And then, Mike is sooooo busy How in the world am I going to find time when he’s available?

There seemed to be more obstacles than answers. Big sigh.

And then it happened, in the middle of the night I pulled together a “script” and the big day of filming was on us. I felt like a movie star except that I was in sweats and a t-shirt when the doorbell rang. I had been in my son’s room who was home visiting from college having an emotional conversation. We were having a heart-to-heart about his future and what God was leading him to do, as tears flowed from my eyes Joseph said, “Stop crying, you’ll ruin your makeup for your video shoot.” And that’s when the doorbell rang.

Chris was thirty minutes early to set up, and I was a mess. Okay, can we pause here? Have you ever known a videographer to be early? I’ll tell you, Chris is da man!

Then, Mike got home when he said he would. Miracle! (I was being sardonic. He’s pretty good about getting home when he says he will.)

We shot the main part of the video in about an hour, and then we needed to get the B-roll. Most of the B-roll was when we didn’t know he was filming us. He’d be in the other room looking like he was “getting something ready” and Mike and I carried on like we usually do. At one point we kissed.

I mean how can you be in close proximity to your hot man who rearranged his schedule for you and not kiss him? My thought was I hope Chris didn’t get that. He was in the other room and I was certain it wouldn’t make its way to the video.

We wrapped up within about three hours…

and a couple of weeks later…

Chris sent me the video.

All three of my kids had their own version of the same thing: Eeeww…I don’t like the kiss.

Overall I loved the video, but I felt unsettled about it. My biggest comfortableness was a part in the beginning where I determined I looked fat. I wanted to ask Chris to take that part out but decided that was way too vain. I spread the video around to my family. My nephew got back to me right away: “Auntie, start the video at 53 seconds in.” At the time the only thing I liked about his suggestion was that my fat scene would be taken out. After much prayer and a night of wrestling, our family tribunal all weighed in and the consensus was to cut everything before 53 seconds. I asked Chris to make that adjustment and he happily complied. I was happy my fat scene would be forever erased. But unfortunately, it didn’t take care of the big behind shot at the end. Why can’t my butt look like a bikini model? Some things just can’t be erased.

I asked my daughter about it and she said, “Mom, it’s the angle.” My reply: “Aha, my butt does look big! I knew it!”

And that’s where I’m going to leave it. I think Chris did an amazing job…you decide for yourself. And please forward it on and share.

Thank you friends, I wouldn’t want to take this journey without you.

Fondly,

Lu