Emmy Nomination Further Recognizes Creative Work of Digital Moxie Studio
- published: 2024/10/16
- contact: NBDC Communications - Nebraska Business Development Center
- phone: 402.554.6256
- email: kjefferson@unomaha.edu
Omaha – A passion for great storytelling inspires Producer, Director and Filmmaker Margaux Towne and her creative team at Digital Moxie Studio in Omaha.
Towne and Digital Moxie Studio are receiving accolades and recognition for their video and film productions. Most recently, the studio was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Upper Midwest Division for “Only In: Des Moines,” a segment produced for the Very Local streaming app. The winner will be announced Oct. 19.
Certified as a woman-owned business by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), Digital Moxie Studio was founded in 2016 by Towne, who channeled her many years of experience as an actress and in film and television production.
Her resume includes work in Florida creating industrial and training videos, and in television with Universal Studios and Nickelodeon, on series including “America’s Most Wanted” and “Clarissa Explains It All.”
“When I hit my 30s, I figured I’d probably never run away to Hollywood, so I started doing work for an Orlando TV station,” Towne says.
That work included a job as a “living segments” reporter, and producing programming. It was behind the camera that she says she found her true calling. “You have a lot more control and access than when you’re in front of the camera,” she says. “And, I love telling a good story.”
You have a lot more control and access than when you’re in front of the camera. And, I love telling a good story.
Her story brought her to Omaha 23 years ago for a romantic relationship. While it didn’t last, it did produce a son, Grayson, now 22. After serving as a stay-at-home-mom, Towne decided it was time to get back to work. She started from scratch, going to work for a medical supply company, where she launched its video department. That was followed with freelance work for a local video production company.
Her experience told her there was room in the Omaha market for a woman-owned production company, so she started her own, and has been growing Digital Moxie Studio’s list of satisfied clients ever since.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Towne made adjustments and kept the film rolling. “About half our clients are non-profits, and they still needed to reach their audiences,” she says. “We began doing live streaming, and our team embraced the technology.”
The studio produced many live-streaming video events for area non-profits, including Tom and Nancy Osborne’s “TeamMates” mentoring organization, with segments featuring Warren Buffett and actor-comedian Bill Murray. On the Digital Moxie Studio website (www.digitalmoxie.studio) is a delightful video clip titled “Bill Murray and the Golf Cart,” along with a selection of videos and films produced for other clients.
Towne says the regional market “is phenomenal. Everyone knows they need video and everyone wants it. Being situated in Omaha, we can travel anywhere. We’re small, so we can be nimble.”
The studio has also begun seeking government contracts, and is working with the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) and APEX Accelerator program Consultant Patrick Guinotte to open those doors. “Margaux has been one of my most successful new-to-government-contracting clients,” Guinotte says. “She managed to win a contract within a week of registering to even be bid eligible. It was impressive and speaks to her work ethic.”
Towne says bidding on government contracts can be intimidating. “The RFPs (request for proposal) are never less than 100 pages,” she says. “There’s no way I would have done it on my own, but Patrick went through all the steps. We got the job, a contract with the Omaha division of the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers, and now we’re submitting our fourth RFP.
“Patrick continues to help us,” she says, “and we trust his knowledge and expertise will help provide even more opportunities.”