ROBERT SMYTH
Robert is a New York City and Los Angeles based writer/director who began his career producing and directing music videos for artists such as Mary J. Blige and Lil’ Wayne. His first feature film experience was on Darren Aronofsky’s REQUIEM FOR A DREAM. Initially hired as Key PA he became 2nd Unit Director on an insert stage tasked with helping create Darren’s brilliant and now-famous “Hip Hop Montage” sequences - dilatiing pupils, pill popping, and drug snorting. Robert’s recent Kings of Leon music video, BANDIT, lensed by two time Oscar-winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, was nominated for Rock Video of the Year at the VMA’s. His short film HEY, CHARLIE, which he wrote and directed, won multiple awards and is shown each year, nationally, to raise awareness for the dangers of opioid abuse among teens. Robert was producer, 2nd Unit Director, and Aerial Director on Kanye West’s experimental film CRUEL SUMMER. Shot in Qatar and starring Kid Cudi, CRUEL SUMMER premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival where it was met with critical acclaim for its ground-breaking use of Kanye’s visionary “Seven Screen Experience”. After filming wrapped, Robert wrote the screenplay for Kanye West’s NINJA GIRL, a story about female empowerment which is to be animated by Takashi Murakami and will be directed by West. Robert has been collaborating with A-list industry professionals for over twenty five years under every condition imaginable, and has directed Beyonce, Anderson .Paak, Kings of Leon, Lolo Zouai, 21 Savage, Quavo, Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, and Glenn Howerton, to name a few. Robert has written a number of screenplays including COLONY, a psychological thriller being produced by Oscar-nominated producer Scott Franklin, BLACK SWAN, THE WRESTLER, THE GOOD NURSE, which is currently in development at CAA.