Sometimes guys can be so thick.

That premise, dunked in Heinz ketchup, put a 30-second video submitted by a recent University of Pittsburgh graduate into contention for a $57,000 grand prize offered by the Pittsburgh ketchup maker.

Even if the spot doesn't win, it might feed the careers of two friends who've been making videos together since before high school in a Reading suburb.

Keith Parish, now a resident of Oakland, heard about the contest from his mom, who read about it on the label of a Heinz ketchup bottle. Mr. Parish and his friend, Kutztown University student Tyler Rudolph, seemed like natural contestants.

Mr. Parish came up with the concept and Mr. Rudolph wrote the script while they were both home for a few days in the spring.

The story line involves a young woman trying to talk to the guy across the table about their relationship. He's more focused on the Heinz ketchup.

"I don't want things to get messy between us," she says.

"Oh, there's a no-mess cap," he assures her.

Unable to find actors, they cast Mr. Rudolph and his girlfriend, Tasha Moyer. Turned down by the first diner they tried, they found another in Reading willing to allow them to film there.

Mr. Parish says they told diner employees it probably would take a half-hour to film the spot. It took three or four hours, reusing the same hamburger so many times nobody would eat it.

But the filmmakers' fans liked the results. On June 10, Mr. Parish posted the spot. Entry number 543 has been viewed more than 4,600 times.

Even more people likely will take a look starting today when Heinz opens voting on the top 15 spots selected from 4,000 acceptable entries submitted to www.TopThisTV.com. Among other hurdles, the semi-finalists had to pass criminal background checks.

If the two longtime friends win the big prize, they dream of making a movie to take to film festivals. Mr. Parish also would put some money into the video production business he's been focused on since graduating in business marketing with a certificate in film studies.

Even if they don't end up seeing their video televised nationally Sept. 16 during the Emmy Awards show, Mr. Parish said it's still pretty cool to get all the exposure.