Allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is Chan C. Smith, an Emmy Award-winning and nominated Commercial Director and visual storyteller. I was born and raised in Chicago and I currently live in Los Angeles. I have produced content and film projects across several different platforms for companies of all sizes.
I am also a Producer, Photographer and Director of Photography and I love to capture amazing images of people and help share their stories. I have a production company called @kiliadfilms and Iām looking to help tell more incredible stories of people and expand my roster of creatives that Iād like to work with in the near future.
Stay tuned for more updates! #director #producer #productioncompany #chicago #losangeles #miami #atlanta #dp #photographer
šø @smkphotog
š @chicagoovereverything
Logo @pedrovegajr
NOW BOOKING PHOTOGRAPHY SESSIONS šøāØ
Need new headshots or professional photos? Head over to ChanCSmith.com/book to secure your slot. Sessions can be in-studio or on-location. Use promo code PHOTO15 to get 15% off your next session if you book by July 1, 2026. And thereās only a 50% deposit to book, sign up today!
Letās shoot! #photoshoot #chicagophotographer #chicago #portrait
Itās been such a great opportunity to be a part of the @adobe@meetcreatively #WinterWorks cohort! Just being able to hear from other artists and see their projects come to life, and also take the time to develop my own project, I couldnāt have asked for a better group of people to do this with. This Thursday is the culmination of the cohort and I will be presenting my web series Dope and Broke to my peers in hopes of potential support and collaborations. Thank you @aoctaviusw and @caity.burke for making this possible for us, and thank you to all of the mentors and cohort members for your support! #chicago #film
Also, the event is already sold out! šš¾ looking forward to everyoneās presentations!
šø by @treylegit
BTS of my recent birthday shoot. @deewilliamsphoto captured these moments perfectly.
I almost didnāt do anything to celebrate my 40th birthday. This past year has weighed on me more than most people know and entering a new decade of life was honestly pretty scary. This new decade will require more from me. More transparency, more resilience, more courage and more self-love. I am thankful, I am more grounded, and moving with more purpose and intention.
A diamond is forming in the rough. A rose is growing from the concrete. Looking forward to what she becomes from here. šš¹āØ
This is 40. š
Iāve learned so much up until this point and this new chapter feels very different from anything Iāve experienced. It feels fresh, it feels welcoming, it feels like Iām finally in charge of what happens next.
No barriers. No limits. Iām free to be the Chan I know I can be. It hasnāt always felt like this, but Iām grateful that Iāve been able to embrace all of the trials and tribulations that got me to where I am today.
My spirit is renewed. I trust God with what happens next.
Cheers to a new decade š„ #chapter40
šø by @deewilliamsphoto
Valentineās Day isnāt just about loveā¦.
Itās about how you choose to love.
As we nationally celebrateā¦ I want to acknowledge those untold stories, people, and times that we had to choose to love in a different way. Even if you are single, thereās so many ways to love and be loved.
Sometimes love looks like forgiveness.
Sometimes love looks like walking away.
Sometimes love looks like choosing peaceā¦
when you had every reason to react.
This piece is for the people who did the inner work.
Who learned the lesson.
Who released the past.
Who chose the higher timeline instead of REVENGE.
You didnāt act out.
But your heart still felt everything. You are never truly alone, this is for you.
āIf It Wasnāt For My Higher Selfā directed by @chancsmith_ š„ ft amazing talent @derekddow@riwhite116 thank you @bigdachairman for guiding this poetry out of me. And ofc the icon Teena Marie ā„ļø
Full video on YouTube ā link in bio.
This is my ode to life, love, and the power to choose.
I am integratedā¦ š¾
š¾To know something is to have knowledge, but the right use of that knowledge, is wisdom.
š¾This song acknowledges a range of human emotions. Sadness, anger, grief, and the real choice to choose peace over destruction. This one speaks for anyone who has experienced pain that was so hurtful it made you want to crash out, but didnāt.
āIf it wasnāt for my higher selfā is #9 on my album āBallads of my higher selfā available on any streaming platform so you can check out the lyrics before the video drops Video Drops on 2/14 ā„ļø directed by my cousin @chancsmith_
These beautiful photos were captured by @mickeyflicks
There was a version of me that loved from wounds instead of wisdom.
I did not know I was abandoning myselfā¦ I just thought I was being patient.
This next chapter is about the moment I finally chose growth over reaction.
āIf It Wasnāt For My Higher Selfā
Video out February 14 ā¤ļø š„ directed by @chancsmith_
šø : @mickeyflicks
Whewwww 2025 was a wild one. Started off by reflecting over a bonfire in Joshua Tree, to escaping wildfires in LA, to packing everything in my car and moving back to Chicago in March. This was a hard year to navigate because a lot of things changed quickly and drastically. During my time in Chicago I did some much needed self-reflection and a hard reset and I had to let a lot of people and things go. Although everything is different, I needed to switch my focus to what remains. What remains is sufficient enough. 2026 will be very different. This year was challenging but I know that it has set the foundation for whatās to come. Looking forward to growth, wealth and good health. See yall in the new year! š„āØ
