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Taron Lexton

by Matthew McCullough

Taron Lexton<BR> (from www.unitedmusicvideo.org)
Taron Lexton
(from www.unitedmusicvideo.org)

"A shining example of 21st century filmmaking."
—King Osambarimba II, Ghana

Today's hero is no longer like a knight of old, charging onto the battlefield in his shining armor and slaying all of his foes. Today a hero improves the society through his good works, providing a beacon of hope in parts of the world that have fallen into decay. A hero might help starving children or distribute medicine to the sick. A hero might fight unjust laws or struggle against discrimination. Or—a hero might make a movie.

Room 27<BR> (from www.room27.com)
Room 27
(from www.room27.com)



"You have inspired the world with your vision, your passion, and your remarkable technical expertise."
—Dr. Pouran Ameli, President of the American-Iranian Friendship Association

Taron Xavier Lexton was born in 1984 in South Africa, in the city of Johannesburg. One year later, he moved to Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles offered excellent opportunities in his chosen field of filmmaking. After attending Delphi Academy, Taron spent the year of 2003 studying at the Los Angeles Film School. His final graduation requirement was fulfilled by completing the successful short movie Room 27.



Taron & Mary, World Tour 2004<BR> (from www.txlfilms.com)
Taron & Mary, World Tour 2004
(from www.txlfilms.com)

"Not only does Lexton have great talent in filmmaking but he is a great advocate and educator."
—Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California

In 2004, Taron took off with his mother, Mary Shuttleworth, on a worldwide tour. The pair visited thirteen different countries and traveled a total of 45,000 miles. The purpose of the trip was to disseminate the concept of human rights and the existence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to schoolchildren in countries where such ideas were little known. Mrs. Shuttleworth, who is the head of Youth For Human Rights International, delivered lectures and seminars whenever possible. Taron brought along his video camera so that he could tape the trip every step of the way. And in addition to documenting the voyage, he set up special shots for his upcoming music video United.



Andre Boydon, Male Lead in <I>United</I><BR> (from Taron Lexton)
Andre Boydon, Male Lead in United
(from Taron Lexton)

"TXL Films has set new standards and dimensions of inclusion of race, color, and creed."
—Bernard C. Parks, Los Angeles City Councilmember

The United music video is the wildly successful short music video directed by Taron in 2004. The purpose of this film is to advocate human rights through storytelling. In it, an inner-city kid with a heart for basketball is the only one willing to stand up to a threatening group of local hoodlums. But he can't do it alone, and he pays a dear price for his bravado. Now his only chance lies in a frail hope that he might unite those around him, across oceans and ethnic boundaries, to ultimately return for a final climactic showdown on the court.

Overall, more than two thousand volunteers, including 150 actors, contributed to the motion picture. Since Taron was 19 years old at the time, and his crew of volunteers were mostly teenagers and pre-teens, United was truly a youth project. First screened at the United Nations headquarters, the video went on to win numerous awards, including ones at the Moondance Film Festival, the Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival, the California Independent Film Festival, the New York Film & Video Festival, the Tagila Corto Human Rights Film Festival, and the Big Bear Film Festival. It even qualified for the 2006 Academy Awards. If you'd like to watch the trailer, visit unitedmusicvideo.org.

TXL Crew<BR> (from www.txlfilms.com)
TXL Crew
(from www.txlfilms.com)

"One might be hard pressed to find a more rugged and socially conscious team of filmmakers."
-Westminster Independent, UK newspaper

In 2000, Taron formed a filmmaking group called TXL Films, a name obviously derived from his initials. Without the help of this team of producers, developers, coordinators, managers and technicians, Taron could not have written and directed United with quite the speed and ease with which he did. The roster is currently composed of nine members, each serving different functions ranging from Chairman of the Board to Lighting Technician. TXL Films was officially incorporated in 2005, following the success of United.

As of May 2006, Taron and his crew are filming the Public Service Announcements (or PSAs) for Youth for Human Rights International, sponsored by the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International. The PSAs are a set of short commercials, each tailored to one of the 30 points in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It is Taron's firm belief that men and women of all ages will respond well to positive content, so he seeks to provide such material in all his works. Taron's exemplary application of his talents to the field of human rights makes him a hero just as surely as if he'd saved the life of a child. Because that's what human rights can do-save lives. To learn more about Taron Lexton and TXL Films, you can visit their website, TXLFilms.com.

Information provided by Taron Lexton, Claire Kevitt, TXLFilms.com, unitedmusicvideo.org and youthforhumanrights.com.

Page created on 3/12/2013 10:47:36 PM

Last edited 8/27/2018 2:29:05 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.