Chris Smith

Production · Directing · Camera · Acting · Writing

Born May 20, 1970, Rahway, New Jersey, USA

Chris Smith (born in 20 May 1970; Rahway) is an American film documentary director, cameraman, producer, writer, and editor. He is best known for directing American Movie, which was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. Smith completed his first film, American Job, while attending the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee's Graduate Film Program. Chris met Mark Borchardt (the subject of American Movie) while editing American Job, and began filming a documentary about the making of Mark's psychological thriller Coven. Both films played at the Sundance Film Festival, and American Movie was bought by Sony Pictures for $1 million. Chris Smith's directing credits include: Collapse (2009), The Pool (2007), The Yes Men (2003), Home Movie (2001), American Movie (1999), and American Job (1996). He is signed to Smuggler for representation.

Filmography

• Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult — Executive Producer, Director
• 2026Daylight — Executive Producer
• 2026Rob Lowe: The Outsider — Director, Producer
• 2026The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part — Director
• This Is a Bomb: The Nevada Casino Heist — Executive Producer
• 2026Wilder — Director, Producer
• 2025Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever — Director, Producer, Director of Photography
• Hollywood Hustler: Glitz, Glam, Scam — Executive Producer
• 2025Never Get Busted! — Executive Producer
• 2024Biggest Heist Ever — Director
• 2024Bitconned — Producer
• 2024DEVO — Director, Camera Operator
• Hollywood Con Queen — Executive Producer, Director
• Mr. McMahon — Executive Producer, Director, Creator
• 2023LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2022 — Director
• 2023WHAM! — Director, Producer
• 2022"Sr." — Self, Director, Director of Photography
• Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. — Director, Creator
• Branson — Director, Creator
• 2022The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes — Executive Producer
• 2022The Pez Outlaw — Executive Producer
• 2021'Twas the Fight Before Christmas — Executive Producer
• 100 Foot Wave — Executive Producer, Director, Creator
• 2021Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal — Producer, Director
• 2021The Oxy Kingpins — Executive Producer
• Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story — Executive Producer, Creator
• 2021Twisted House Sitter — Steadicam Operator
• 2020The Boy Who Sold The World — Producer
• Tiger King — Executive Producer
• The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann — Director, Creator
• 2018FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened — Producer, Director
• 2017Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton — Director, Producer
• 2015Working Class Heroes — Second Assistant Camera
• 2014Animals — Producer
• 2013The Jeffrey Dahmer Files — Executive Producer
• 2009Collapse — Director, Director of Photography, Producer
• 2009St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold — Executive Producer
• 2007The Pool — Director, Writer
• 2006Suffering and Smiling — Executive Producer
• 2003The Yes Men — Director, Producer
• 2001Home Movie — Director
• 2000Caesar's Park — Producer
• 1999American Movie — Director, Director of Photography, Producer
• 1997The Big One — Director of Photography
• 1996American Job — Writer, Director
• Untitled Andre Agassi Documentary Series — Executive Producer
• Untitled John Hughes Documentary — Director, Producer