Complaint Review: Christopher J. Smith

To any actresses who are considering doing any projects with this man or his associated production company...DON’T.   He casts individual actresses for a horror web series off of the various casting sites and claims it is SAG-AFTRA, then you’ll shoot the episode out of HIS apartment for the entire day.  Although there is no pay, you are promised credit and copy.  But he never has you sign any contract then, as is the norm with SAG-AFTRA projects, instead he says you’ll “get around to it later”.  The shoot consists of him dousing you with fake blood while he pretends to be the serial killer and you the victim, and of him using webcams to chat with people online around the world (real life) while you pretend to be dying.  The whole time this guy will act as if this is A REAL LIFE SCENARIO, as opposed to acting, as if it is his FANTASY.  After you’re done shooting for the entire day, he’ll say he’ll send you the footage for your reel within a month “at the latest”.  Then you’ll NEVER hear from him again.  Whenever you email him for the footage he will be RADIO SILENT.  This man clearly sees actresses as lowly pawns, who he knows need footage for their reels, and 100% takes advantage to fulfill some sadistic fantasy he has, and probably gets off to the footage later.  I’ve spoken to others in the industry and this guy has a longstanding history of doing this.

He’s already been reported to SAG-AFTRA and all of his currently held casting accounts (at the time) on the various casting sites have been suspended, but he could always create new accounts.

Anybody who has had dealings with this guy, please report it to anyone who will listen.