Worlds Colliding

Growing up, I have always loved air travel and aviation. My dad is a pilot for Delta and my mom was a flight attendant, so flying has always been a big part of my life. I grew up living with my dad’s crazy schedule, the excitement and stress of flying stand-by, and hearing him tell stories about each trip when he came home. I am so proud of how hard he has worked, and that is a big part of why flying still makes me so happy. 

When I was given the project to make a video portrait of someone, specifically without showing their face, I thought it would be so cool if I could make mine about a pilot. My dad had a quick trip to Orlando the following week, so he made a few calls and got permission from the Chief Pilot Office in Detroit for me to film him on his trip. This was actually happening. My passion for art and love of aviation were coming together. 

Filming Fast: An Early Flight

His flight to Orlando left early, so we were at the airport by 5:30 with little time to waste. I had only gear in my backpack and was filming constantly as we walked to the pilot lounge. My DSLR was having a moment so I had to film almost everything on my phone. While not ideal, it worked with the time we had. Once down in the pilot lounge, I had some time to film while he got things ready before the flight. I had been down there before, so I knew some of the shots I wanted to get, but a lot of it was discovery as we went along.

A Friendly Crew

Dad was able to explain the filming situation to the crew before boarding started, so everyone was aware once I was able to board the plane with the other passengers. The flight attendants were so patient, sweet, and cooperative while I had my dad repeat some of the things they had done pre-boarding. The co-pilot was enthusiastic to point out certain pre-flight visuals or sound he thought would be interesting while I sat in the jump seat and recorded. Even if they didn’t entirely know what was going on or why, the crew was so supportive and a huge part of what made everything go so smoothly. 

Parting Ways in Orlando

The flight to Orlando was quick and smooth. Once we landed, I was able to film him thanking the passengers as they left. We said a quick goodbye before he had to be on the plane for the next leg of his trip. My flight back to Detroit was a couple hours away, so I was able to film his plane departing as well. Aside from a few exposition shots of DTW once I got back, my filming was done and the day was over as quickly as it began.

I am so grateful that I was able to do this. Not only did I learn a lot by having the opportunity to document such a fast paced environment, but I was also able to document what my dad does when he’s not at home. He has been a pilot for Delta for over 30 years and he loves his job. He truly is “Captain Joe”. Having a video that shows what that means and being able to share that with friends and family holds a lot of value for us.