We had the wonderful opportunity to speak with director Taron Lexton about Son to Son. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Taron! Thank you for granting the interview. We’re excited to speak with you about your film Son to Son. Tell us what inspired the film.
It all started with Jim’s script. It was the best short script I’d ever read. He tackled a huge social issue (opioid abuse) from a totally fresh angle, just turned it on its head. I’m a huge proponent of using filmmaking to affect change in society, but with some issues, like the drug epidemic, we’ve reached a saturation point where audiences are a bit numb to seeing these horrifying depictions, and it’s hard to really move the needle anymore. But when I read how Jim approached it, it just blew my mind, and I thought, this is finally something new. It had humor, heart, and a crazy twist.
What was the one thing you had to accomplish to tell this story?
For it to work, it had to feel absolutely real. It had to feel like you’re a fly on the wall, a bystander peeking in on this crazy conversation. Jim’s script was very naturalistic and I wanted to carry that into every part of the film. We used a lot of long lenses, foreground elements, handheld. The lighting was very understated. The challenge was bringing the audience as close as possible without spoiling the sense of voyeurism. I also wanted to let the actors roll freely, so we did very long take, 10-15 minutes each, with two cameras. Since it was all handheld, and we couldn’t afford Easy Rigs, that was tough on the camera operators — I know, I was one of them!
What was the biggest takeaway that has had a positive effect on your film?
To be a filmmaker you have to be a little crazy. With this film, we had no budget at all, no time, and no resources. What we did have was a phenomenal script, two amazing actors, and our incredible friends and family who pitched in to make it happen. And in the end, the biggest takeaway is that you really don’t need more than that. If the idea is good, and you know your tools, you can build towering monuments out of a few grains of sand.
What do you hope to accomplish with the film?
I hope it raises awareness. The opioid epidemic is much, much scarier than I realized. And it’s everywhere. Reading Jim’s script was like an ice bath. I really got that this is not some far-off problem, but it’s right here in our homes, it’s our friends and family. It’s something that’s talked about a lot, but somehow still getting worse. I think Jim found a way to approach it that is so unexpected, it can really make an impact and change some minds.
When choosing talent, what did you look for?
In this case, my two actors were already attached. Jim Meskimen wrote the script, and also happens to be a brilliant actor, so he was perfect for the main role. He signed on another talented actor early on, Nick Lane, who I also happened to be a big fan of. So by fate or fortune, the casting was already done and I could just focus on the shoot. The funny part is, if I’d done a whole casting process from scratch, I would have ended up picking these same two actors. They’re just perfect.
What was your favorite scene?
The film is really one scene, so… that one!
What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive effect on your film?
The only way this film could have happened is through the creative talents of our cast and crew. When you have no budget, creativity becomes a survival tactic. What I really saw on this film was how much can be done for basically nothing. Over the years we’ve been building a community of artists and filmmakers, and they all came together for one crazy night to make this short. One location, two actors, sunset to sunrise. It was a total blast. The adrenaline of that night comes through in the film I think.
What has been your favorite experience in making “Son to Son?”
The shoot. It was exhilarating and terrifying and exhausting and extremely satisfying. Getting to work with our awesome DP, Kevin Garrison, our superhuman production designer, Todd Jeffrey, and our incredible production team led by Nicole Pase — it was an absolute joy. I wanted to approach it like a one-act play, and so most of the night was actually the actors doing the scene. Usually, it’s a lot of set up and very little actual shooting. This was the opposite. Each take was around 15 minutes long, and we didn’t really change the lighting, so it was a bit like shooting a documentary. The actors just rolled and we captured it. I’ve never shot that way but I wanted to try it for this, and I’d say the experiment paid off. Plus it was just fun as hell.
When looking back on the film, what resonated with you the most and why?
Working with Jim and Nick, our leads. They were the beating heart of the film, and they laid it all out on the table. Watching them work was a total thrill. I know them both well in real life, so I knew just how wildly different their characters were in the film. They were unrecognizable. I wanted to free them to attack their roles with as little regard for the camera as possible, and the result was two unhinged performances that brought the film to life.
In your opinion, how could this film make an impact on the world?
The opioid crisis is the biggest drug epidemic in American history. Solving it will take a huge amount of work, and a big part of that is education. The first step is making people aware that this problem exists, and waking them up to the fact that it’s in their own front yard. Hopefully, this film helps people realize that the people affected by this crisis are people exactly like them — their fathers, their sons, their friends, and family. It’s not a certain type of person or demographic that’s suffering. It’s everyone.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to make this film? Would you do anything differently?
Hell yes. It was worth every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears. The only thing I might change was deciding to go all handheld with it since that meant almost continuous shooting for 10 hours… my chiropractor wasn’t very happy with me.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the film and your career?
We’re thrilled with how well the film has been received. Most importantly, it’s been reaching addicts and those affected by the crisis. The feedback from them, in particular, has been incredibly moving. To be able to make an impact in their lives has meant the world to us. For me personally, filmmaking has always been a medium for social change, and I love working on projects that make a difference. Our upcoming feature film is going to take that to a much larger scale, and we’re actually filming in over 2 dozen countries. Our same production team from “Son to Son” is on board, and it’s shaping up to be the most epic experience of our lives. In the end, filmmaking is about the people you work with, and the dreams you chase. Our dreams tend to be bigger than our budgets, but we never let that stop us.
Connect with Taron:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taronlexton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taronlexton/
Featured Image Credit: Director Taron Lexton (left) and DP Kevin Garrison (right) setting up a shot for Son to Son. Photography by James Filios.
About Author
