A 1997 Del City High School graduate is juggling two careers and is looking to make a name for himself as an actor.
Joseph Baird’s current project is raising funds for an independent film he says will be filmed in his home state as early as this summer.
Ben & Ara, is a feature film about what happens when religious and cultural tension escalates when a woman from the Nation of Islam has an affair with an agnostic man. Baird plays the role of Ben in the film, and Constance Ejuma as Ara.
Ben, a passionately agnostic PhD student, falls behind in his dissertation and is surprised to find his muse and love in Ara, a devout member of the Nation of Islam. Even though they have vastly different beliefs, they find a way to connect in a world that doesn’t accept their relationship. Through their journey, they discover that when two cultures touch each other, the consequences can be magical and tragic.
The acting duo has launched their film project on Kickstarter, which has become a popular route for independent films to gain financial support using a countdown website. Baird said if the $35,000 fundraising goal is not met in the timeline allotted by Kickstarter, the movie will still happen, just not in the time table hoped for.
A star is born
Baird’s love of theatre started as a child and he also was involved in drama at DCHS. He said his acting career, though, went a little by the way side, when he took time off to go to law school and move to California.
Still a Los Angeles, Calif. resident, Baird said he goes back and forth from doing contract work as a corporate litigation attorney and acting.
This past year, he landed a co-guest star role in the popular CBS TV series Criminal Minds. The episode entitled, "The Inspired" feature Baird as the character Danny Randall and was aired Oct. 2.
Biard also recently received word that he’s been cast in a UK film called "Capsule." Production is set to begin in 2014 and Baird will play an American CIA agent in the space film about English astronauts in the Cold War.
Why support Ben & Ara
Oklahoma is slowly becoming known as the place for filming movies.
Baird encourages anyone that is a lover of the arts, to support his independent film project.
"With shooting of the film primarily in Oklahoma, this firm will be a nice piece to take to film festivals to showcase the arts in Oklahoma," Baird said.
To learn more, visit www.kickstarter.com and search for Ben & Ara. As of presstime, the film was 55 percent funded with $19,327 pledged and 12 days to go.
