Robert Joseph Sexton is an American director, producer, writer, and former musician, best known for his work on music videos and with virtual reality. He has won three Emmy Awards for his work as a producer and was a post-production producer of Paul McCartney's Live Kisses, which won two Grammy Awards in 2013.
Early life Sexton was born in St. Louis, Missouri. As an infant, his family moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey, where his maternal grandmother had settled. His mother, uncle, and maternal grandmother and grandfather were Holocaust survivors from Lithuania who had been forced into a concentration camp by the Nazis. Their survival and resilience became a defining part of his family’s history.
Sexton earned a degree in business and marketing from Middlesex College before continuing his education at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He later receive a film and television production certificate from LACC, further honing his skills in the entertainment industry.
Career Music As a teenager, Sexton joined the seminal metal-punk band under the stage name Rock 'n' Roll Bobb Sexton. The band was fronted by vocalist Bobby Ebz, noted for spending GG Allin's final day with him. The drummer for Genöcide was Brian "Damage" Keats (Misfits) and Pete "Damien" Marshall (Iggy Pop, Samhain) briefly played second guitar before the band broke up. During the years Sexton played with the band, they released the albums Reign of Terror and Guttercat. The band's breakthrough album was Submit to Genöcide, which was recorded at Broccoli Rabe Studios engineered by Al Theurer (Wendy O. Williams, Kiss, Joan Jett, Carly Simon).Al Theurer - Engineer Discography
Sexton played with the "supergroup" Undesirables, before founding the band Pound of Flesh, which recorded a demo tape with Pete "Pistol Pete" Powers (Genöcide) and friends Joe Wood and Mitch Dean from T.S.O.L.. Sexton then founded One Bad Eye, whose self-titled debut album Self-Titled was engineered by Matt Pakucko (Dinosaur Jr., Frank Black, Def Leppard, Rage Against the Machine).Matt Pakucko - Engineer Discography
Music videos After relocating to Los Angeles from the East Coast, Sexton began his career in the film industry as an editor. Meeting director Brian Smith in an editing bay, he was offered a job as a production manager. Working alongside Smith, Sexton worked as a production manager on videos for Shakira, Sublime, and Ricky Martin. Sexton went on to produce music videos for country artists including Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Reba McEntire, and Clint Black; rock artists including Marilyn Manson, Alice Glass, OK Go, and John Fogerty; hip-hop artists including Busta Rhymes; and Christian artists including Skillet, KJ-52, and ZOEgirl.
Sexton then moved largely into directing. One of his videos for Incite, which premiered on The Wall Street Journal, was the first ever narrative-driven heavy metal virtual reality video. In his career, he has directed music videos for artists including Soulfly for Unleash, Hellyeah (featuring Vinnie Paul from Pantera), Michael Schenker, the Dwarves, Kataklysm, The Devil Wears Prada, and Cavalera Conspiracy.
Virtual reality Sexton's entrance into the world of virtual reality was with his creation of "cinematic virtual reality", the technique of blending together traditional film techniques with virtual reality. His most notable work in this realm is his short Psycho City, TX. Of cinematic virtual reality, he told LA Weekly, "Your brain thinks it's a real event that's happening and remembers it as something real."
Personal life Sexton lives and works in the Hollywood Dell neighborhood of Hollywood, California. He has been married to makeup artist Suzi Hale since June 5, 2010. Their wedding was held at the Psycho House on the Universal Studios Backlot, the first and only wedding to ever be held there, which had to be officially approved by the Alfred Hitchcock Foundation.
Public service In 2018, Sexton was appointed Block Captain of the Hollywood Dell Neighborhood Watch. In 2021, Sexton joined the publicly-elected Hollywood United Neighborhood Council as a Business Representative, subsequently becoming a board member of their Social Services & Homelessness Committee.
Politics On July 31, 2019, Sexton announced an independent run for California State Assembly, in order to represent the 43rd District. Alongside the primary issue of homelessness, his challenge to incumbent Laura Friedman was largely focused on the issues of supporting rent stabilization and opposing the results of 2014 and 2016 California ballot measures Proposition 47 and Proposition 57. Sexton placed third in the primary on March 3, 2020. In a statement given to the Los Angeles Times on March 5, Sexton stated that he was disappointed by the results but hoped to have "started important conversations and changed the dialogue."
Filmography Music videos Year Title Role Artist 1997 "Wrong Way" production manager Sublime 1998 "Zoot Suit Riot" production manager Cherry Poppin' Daddies 1998 "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)" production manager K-Ci & JoJo 1998 "Perdido Sin Ti" production manager Ricky Martin 1999 "She's in Love" producer Mark Wills 1999 "Le Boo" producer ¡Laughing Us! 2002 "Envy" producer Ash 2003 "Save It For A Rainy Day" producer The Jayhawks 2003 "Unbroken (Hotel Baby)" assistant director Monster Magnet 2003 "The Reckoning" producer Iced Earth 2006 "Bent" director Hang Men 2007 "Over You" director Dwarves 2007 "Signs of Life" director Graceland 2007 "FEFU" director, producer Dwarves 2008 "Chaos Theory" director, executive producer Amen 2009 "Big Dog Daddy" post-production producer Toby Keith 2009 "Pistolero Sleep" director Pigmy Love Circus 2011 "Poker Night" post-production producer Toby Keith w/ Ted Nugent 2011 "Dethroned" director Death Angel 2011 "Killing Inside" director Cavalera Conspiracy 2012 "Tales from the West" post-production producer Toby Keith 2012 "Unleash" director Soulfly 2012 "The Day After The World Ended" director, co-executive producer R2A 2012 "Truce" director Death Angel 2013 "Feral Children" director Prima Donna 2013 "The Toughest" "Lord of the Wasteland" Toby Keith 2013 "Wasted" director Delirium Tremens 2014 "Sailor's Prayer" director The Devil Wears Prada 2014 "Moth" director Hellyeah 2014 "Sangre Por Sangre" director Hellyeah 2015 "Fallen" director Incite 2015 "Hush" director Hellyeah 2015 "WTF" director Hellyeah 2016 "No Remorse" director Incite 2016 "One More Song" production manager, "Virile Mixologist" Jack Tempchin 2016 "Human" director, executive producer Hellyeah 2016 "The Slaughter" director, cinematographer Incite 2018 "Narcissist" director Kataklysm 2018 "In The Land of the Blind" producer Rick Springfield 2018 "Outsider" director Kataklysm 2018 "The Voodoo House" producer Rick Springfield 2023 "Canisi" director, editor, executive producer Twenty7
Virtual reality Year Title Role Notes 2015 Archangel director Soulfly music video 2015 Life's Disease director Incite music video 2016 West Coast Customs 360° VR Experience director, executive producer 2016 Ghost Scream: 360° VR director 2017 Psycho City, TX: 360° VR Video Experience director, writer, "Minister of Piece" 2018 Meat: VR director
Other media Year Title Role Notes 2005 Legion: The Word Made Flesh director, co-writer short 2008 Remembering Phil "Phil's Cellmate" feature film 2009 Sexy Feast director short 2009 Culinary Seduction director short 2009 Carolyn's Healthy Goodies director short 2010 The Disassembly Line director, writer, executive producer short 2011 Areola 51 director, producer TV movie 2011 Citizen Skywatch director short 2012 Paul McCartney's Live Kisses post-production producer documentary 2013 Down The Rabbit Hole with Rat Scabies director, writer, producer short 2013 Left Turn At Zeta Reticula director commercial 2013 Strip Away The Lies director, producer commercial 2013 Sleep No More director, producer short 2013 Psycho City, TX director, executive producer short 2013 Lost Weekend with the Mingler director, executive producer TV special 2013 But with a Whisper director, executive producer short 2015 32° of Separation director short 2017 Somewhere Between Darkness and Dawn producer, assistant director short 2019 Thirsty production consultant short 2025 Little Pet "Party Fiend" feature film 2026 Deep Tissue producer feature film
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2005Tabloid Witch AwardBest Horror Short FilmLegion: The Word Made Flesh 2020Black Rose AwardOutstanding Achievement in DirectingWork in virtual reality
References
External links Hollywood Asylum website Robert Sexton on Ballotpedia
Robert J. ("Rev") Sexton on LinkedIn