For Baird's work on Superman in 1978, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Film Editing.
He edited Tommy, Lisztomania, and Valentino and served as associate producer on Ken Russell's Altered States.
With Warner Bros., he supervised the editing on such films as Die Hard 2 (1990) and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991).
The first two movies Baird directed were studio pictures produced and distributed by Warner Bros.; where he had served as Editor Supervisor.
To get the job directing Star Trek: Nemesis, Baird performed re-cuts on Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Mission: Impossible 2 for Paramount Pictures.