Robert J. Sexton

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).

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).

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." 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. 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 feature film

Awards and nominations