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MY PLAYGROUND - Air ballet

AIR BALLET is a poetic short documentary that explores where true freedom lives. After decades flying some of the world’s most advanced commercial aircraft, a veteran pilot finds his greatest joy in the simplicity of a small open-cockpit biplane. Through quiet observation and graceful flight, the film contrasts modern aviation with flying for the pure love of it revealing the sky as a personal playground and flight as a wordless dance.

  • Jorge Arana
    Director
  • Jorge Arana
    Writer
  • Jorge Arana
    Producer
  • Greg Thorson
    Key Cast
    "Biplane Pilot"
  • Alan Kelly
    Key Cast
    "Narrator "
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 12 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 21, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Blackmagic 4K, 360 cam & iPhone
  • Aspect Ratio:
    21:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Jorge Arana

At an early age, Jorge Arana developed an interest in filmmaking which was forever burned into his creative DNA and made him always wonder "How do they do it?".

That ignited his interest in filmmaking and production and made him work his way up the ladder. His career started in Mexico, then moved to the USA to explore new opportunities in the English speaking market. His career as a producer sums over 20 years of experience in live TV, integrated productions, and content creation. His creative mind and love of cinematography naturally led him to become a director.

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Director Statement

My Playground began as a personal experiment, an excuse to make films with friends, free from expectations, timelines, or outcomes. I wanted to document the places where the people I care about feel most alive, and to do so with patience, curiosity, and respect for their craft.

AIR BALLET grew out of that intention. On paper, this is a film about aviation, but at its heart it’s about contrast: scale versus simplicity, technology versus touch, mastery versus joy. Watching Greg fly massive commercial aircraft around the world, then return home to a small open-cockpit biplane, revealed something universal to me that fulfillment isn’t always found in progress or complexity, but often in returning to what first made us fall in love.

I approached this film as a quiet observer. Rather than interviews or explanations, I let movement, sound, and environment lead the storytelling. The biplane’s choreography in the sky became its own language, an air ballet where emotion is felt rather than explained.

This project was made slowly, often as a one-person crew, across different formats and moments in time. That pace allowed the film to breathe and reflect the experience it captures. AIR BALLET is an invitation to look up, to slow down, and to remember the simple joy of doing something purely for the love of it.