Denzel’s Layover in Clayton first. Due to safety concerns, the flight was delayed on the morning the plane was scheduled to arrive, because of the morning dew on the grass. Under normal circumstances it would have been less of an issue. However, the large house that was built on the property, as part of the set, stood nearly 30 feet tall and was situated on the end of the already short runway. Flown in by one of Joey’s friends, Neal Baker, and accompanied by the plane’s owner, the plane arrived the next day without incident. Now, the only thing remaining was getting the aircraft into the hangar, which involved some simple tools and creative thinking. Neal and Joey came up with the winning idea of using car dollies to move the Cessna, which proved to be more useful than imagined. When the Director called for the plane to be moved several times during filming, this process made it quick and easy to maneuver. Joey found himself getting further involved with the production of Flight, as filming continued. At one point, the movie director shared the film’s opening scene with him and Joey offered some technical advice. Zemeckis, a pilot himself, turned to the lead actor and said, “Hey Denzel, you need to meet this guy,” which began a series of discussions between Joey, Denzel and the film’s screenwriter, John Gatins. “To be able to have a friendly discussion with an award-winning actor, an award-winning director and the script writer was an honor and a fantastic experience,” Joey said. As if meeting the Director and Denzel Washington wasn’t reward enough, on the first morning of shooting, famed Hollywood photographer Robert Zuckerman introduced himself to Joey. He has worked with celebrities such as Will Smith and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and his work includes films such as Training Day, Transformers and The Pursuit of Happyness. Zuckerman was also asked to be the personal photographer for the family of Malcolm X. “While filming the movie, Robert and I talked daily, frequently ate lunch together and shared many stories,” said Joey. “He and I became friends, and maintain regular contact today,” he said. Joey also offered advice that would make the film more accurate. The story called for the lead character, Whip, played by Denzel Washington, to be the son of a crop duster, but it needed a tie-in for how the father became a pilot and ended up owning a crop dusting operation and a farm. Joey recommended to the Director’s staff that they consider making the father a former Tuskegee Airman and that became the basis for the character’s connection with aviation. For his technical advice and assistance, Joey was offered a small part in the film, playing an Atlanta Police Officer who checks Denzel’s credentials before he is allowed entry into a hangar. In addition, Joey’s wife Gallixy and his sister-in-law, Tara (Jeff’s wife), were cast as extras in the film, playing the role of media reporters in a scene also shot at the family farm. Additionally, Jeff was an extra, cast as an inmate in a prison scene. “To have been featured in a scene with one of my all-time favorite actors was something I didn’t expect,” Joey said. “It was truly a rewarding and thrilling experience,” he said. Patty Hall Keahey Mask’s generosity seems to have no limits. On the final day of shooting she offered a crew member, who was saddened by the recent loss of her pet, a friendly stray cat that had made a home on the farm. As the film wrapped and sets were being dismantled, the tiny feline was seen in the middle of the set, gently tucked away inside a pet carrier on its way to a new home. Despite the total disruption of their daily routine, the Mask family will always cherish the heartfelt memories from the filming of Flight on their farm in Clayton County. Paramount Pictures’ Flight is in theatres now, and playing at AMC Southlake 24, located at 7065 Mt. Zion Circle in Morrow.
November/December 2012 | SAGE
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