Today we’d like to introduce you to Taron Lexton.
Hi Taron, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In a way, we’re the classic “started in a garage” story, but it was an attic. I was a ‘90s kid, so I was raised on classics like Jurassic Park, Forrest Gump, and all the superhits from the ‘80s. I felt I was living in a time of giants, with Spielberg, Cameron, and Zemeckis at the height of their powers. That was the crucible in which the TXL flame was lit. Our lives were enriched so deeply by cinema; we now want to pay that forward. That’s why we push ourselves to find projects that break new ground and resonate in new ways with modern audiences. We’re not here to ride the wave; we want to help push cinema forward. A key strength we’ve found is being global while also focusing on the powerful and detailed layers of humanity and the human experience. We love to travel and interweave the many cultures of the world into our stories. We’ve now gone from garage to global with projects in over 50 countries on all seven continents. It’s been quite a journey.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was less a smooth road and more a death-defying expedition. And I’m being literal there—I wish that were an overstatement! Maybe it’s our indie roots, but we love a good challenge and tend to punch above our weight. Our first feature, “In Search of Fellini,” was shot in Ohio and Italy, and our second feature, “Nomad,” was shot in over 30 countries on all 7 continents. And all with a micro-crew and micro-budget. We faced hurricanes, venomous snakes, the hottest and coldest places on Earth, and the most dangerous ocean crossing in the world (Drake’s Passage), not to mention every flavor of food poisoning you can imagine. Probably the closest brush with death was when a wild male rhino showed up on our set in Africa and started getting territorial. Luckily we had some indigenous San people (“Bushmen”) on hand who were able to de-escalate the situation and get everyone out safely. But my heart was pounding out of my chest, and it was a reminder that no matter how many precautions you take, the world has a mind of its own.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
TXL Films is a full-service production company, so we do the entire process of movie-making, from soup to nuts. We specialize in being generalists. I’d say we’re known for our positive attitude and our consistent production quality. We are absolutely obsessed with perfecting the filmmaking process and view it as a constant evolution. I’d say I’m most proud of the team we’ve assembled, from our producers to our staff and crew. These are just some of the best people on Earth, with the energy and vitality to dream big and the grit and capability to make it happen. It’s a really rare collection of humans, and I think it’s actually our key differentiator. Our current feature film, “Nomad” is a great illustration of TXL Films in action. We worked tirelessly to push the boundaries in every way possible to bring something to audiences that is truly unique, and we literally went to the ends of the Earth to tell this story in a way that has never been done before in narrative filmmaking. Without the use of green screens, lights, or sets we wove our fictional story amongst the vast beauty and cultures of 30+ countries and all seven continents in an effort to bring a human-powered and human-driven story to audiences everywhere.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Honestly, I’d say it’s grit. We have an enormous tenacity, and it’s gotten us through some almost unimaginable situations. We always stick together, we support each other, and we make the dream happen. There’s a huge joy and satisfaction in that, and it’s something we all share. Just surviving as a small business is a challenge. Only 25% of businesses survive the past 15 years, but we’re at 18 and gaining momentum. I’m grateful beyond measure for our amazing team and partners around the world who have made all this possible, and I’m excited about what’s on the horizon. Our new film, “Nomad,” will be released soon. This film is very special to us and is just one of an entire slate of projects in the works. We’ve come a long way, but we’re just getting started.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/txlfilms/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/txlfilms
