Steven Saxton: Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of HSI
With over 25 years of experience, Steven Saxton is a successful producer and highly regarded expert in the film and music industry. As the CEO and Founder of Hollywood Studios International, Mr. Saxton formed the company to focus on the management of fee-based businesses and the intelligent deployment of capital in the entertainment industry.
Saxton created Hollywod Studios International to create, finance and distribute quality content and intellectual property across multiple platforms. During the company’s first years of operation, Mr. Saxton Executive Produced the critically acclaimed, breakout film The Kids Are All Right starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson. The film was the first project produced by Artist International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hollywood Studios International. Artist International provides representation to actors, writers, directors and other entertainment properties. The Kids Are All Right went on to gross $30M at the worldwide box office. As far as accolades, the film has enjoyed 14 wins and 63 nominations including Best Picture and Best Actress wins at the Golden Globes and 4 Oscar nominations. “Kids” is currently being developed into an hour-long series for HBO.
Subsequent to the theatrical release of The Kids Are All Right, Mr. Saxton also Executive Produced foreign film sensation, The Zero Hour. The film is regarded as one of the most acclaimed feature films in the history of Venezuelan cinema and is the highest grossing film of all time in that region. The film recently captured the Audience Favorite Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Saxton also Executive Produced The Ledge starring Charlie Hunman, Liv Tyler and Terrance Howard. It premiered during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for best Dramatic film. Additionally, Saxton Executive Produced Beyond a Reasonable Doubt starring Michael Douglas and Jesse Metcalf. Hollywood Studios International’s sister company, Models International is a successful and rapidly expanding agency representing high profile, high fashion runway and print models.
Prior to working in film and television, Saxton was a highly regarded music executive, having worked with the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Edgar Winter, Steve Vigh, Les Brown and his Band of Renown, Lou Raw, Steve Lukather, 69 Boys, Horace Silver, Taylor Eigsti, and many others. Saxton founded Bop City Records and during that time worked with legendary recording engineers including Al Schmitt (18 Grammys and 2 Latin Grammys), Ed Cherney (3 Grammys and 6 Grammy nominations), and Elliot Scheiner (6 Grammys, 23 Grammy nominations, and 4 Emmy Nominations). Mr. Saxton also worked on the Paramount Studios lot as an Executive Producer via a first look deal. He also helped secure financing for 18 Disney films as part of Silver Screen Partners III including Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Good Morning Vietnam, Three Men and a Baby and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Prior to transitioning into the entertainment sector, Mr. Saxton was a former Vice President at NASD broker/dealer for 21st Century Securities and President of Texca Petroleum, Oil and Gas Company.
