As editor, as well as director, on No Sanctuary, I am blessed with the opportunity to see the performance of each actor unfold outside the hectic realm of principal photography. It has been exciting to watch an actor’s performance evolve. Each of the actors on the picture brought something unique to the production. Each one had their individual strengths and challenges. I intend to profile each one of them in the blog entries to follow.
For now I want to focus on Ron Baker. I met Ron almost a decade ago at an acting class at Open Stage in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. We were fast friends; in fact the other students thought we had been friends before we had attended that class together. I believe we had an instant rapport due to our shared military background, our passion for acting, and each of us possessed a deep sense of humor. [The sound of Ron laughing is contagious.] It was here that I first experienced the intensity of his craft. The class was held in a high school science lab [For reasons unknown to me still]. Ron was in the throes of an acting exercise. The other students were riveted on his rising (affected) anger. Without warning, Ron lunged forward and hurled a lab table straight up into the air! [Those things are ridiculously heavy!] All of us were stunned. Perhaps even Ron himself. After a moment, the class erupted into applause, impressed with his performance. [Although after the “incident” the acting coach placed a ban on hurling lab equipment in the name of art.]
Not long afterwards, Ron made a serious commitment to acting by moving to Los Angeles. There he honed his craft and took on many significant projects, including The General’s Daughter with John Travolta, Blue Streak with Martin Lawrence, and a very emotional episode of Navy NCIS with Mark Harmon. [I personally had tears in my eyes during his final scene.] He worked on a host of other film projects, as well as, theater productions, and music videos.
During this time, a script I wrote, called “Icarus Has Fallen”, was selected as a finalist for the Flicks on 66 Digital Shootout in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That festival is now called the Duke City Shootout. We had a week to shoot and edit the short film that resulted from that script. I had written the lead character, Patterson Church, with Ron in mind, so when the festival informed me that I could bring an actor on for the project, I called Mr. Baker in LA. Ron, to his credit, instantly got on a plane and arrived in New Mexico [And on his own dime, I might add.] It was an exhilarating week. Not only did Ron give an inspired performance, but I got a chance to experience my first professional project with a very dear friend.
Naturally when I was in development for my first feature film, No Sanctuary, I thought of Ron Baker. For awhile it looked like it would be difficult to get Ron for the picture, but providence intervened and Ron became the lead character, Deacon. This brings me back to the present. As I sit and edit the film, I am amazed by the material. Most days on the production were a joy, though some were difficult, but the end result is on the screen. Ron has the rugged good looks of a leading man, intensity, and physical grace. Deacon needed to be all these things, but also exhibit a spiritual side. He needed to possess sensitivity. As a human being, Ron Baker is deeply spiritual. He has a huge heart; loving and a bit mischievous. I am proud to know him. He has my utmost respect and appreciation for his contribution to the film.
