Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Matthew Spencer
Hi Christopher Matthew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My Los Angeles journey began as a runaway child. I left home at 16 from an abusive household and never looked back. I briefly stayed with my older brother and then moved on to live on my own. For a while, I was homeless and broke as a joke, but I spent 5 years in South Central Los Angeles, seeing the worst and the best of what L.A. had to offer. Determined to change my situation, I worked hard, saved money, and bought a house in Burbank by the age of 21.
I then started my own marketing company and eventually took a strong interest in many fields, including entertainment, e-commerce, and business in general. Over the years, I’ve been a master chef and baker, owned a restaurant, a bar, a hotel, multiple apartment buildings, and had the pleasure of working with many fine companies and well-recognized individuals such as Kathy Ireland, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, and Janet Jackson.
For 8 years I was a product evangelist at eBay, traveling the country helping people learn about the site back in the golden years of the business.
As a consultant, I traveled the world improving companies. As an educator, I developed courses for Microsoft and their subdivision, LinkedIn Learning. I authored five books with major publishing companies.
My latest chapter is that of an actor, writer, and film director. While I continue to run my businesses, I am now focused on these passionate pursuits.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My biggest challenge has been focusing on what I truly want to do in life, but now that I’m older, I’ve become hyper-focused and can look toward the future as someone who wants to be an actor, writer, and film director. I don’t struggle with money or material desires because I’m a minimalist. I can do with very little, having come from nothing. That said, I do appreciate the finer things in life—my biggest passion is food. These days, I don’t really struggle with much of anything.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I don’t believe people are born specifically as artists. I think we all have art within us. As we discover the finer things in life, we develop a passion for what pleases us. Over the past several years, I’ve come to truly appreciate films, and this has inspired me to understand how filmmaking works and to develop a closer connection to actors and other professional filmmakers. This catalyzed my interest in becoming a full-time actor, writer, and film director. The Red Market was my first effort at directing—a short film in the science fiction thriller genre, developed in partnership with Brian Cutler Actors Studio and in collaboration with a crew of alumni and students from Chapman University.
I don’t try to compare myself to others, though we all do it at times. I make a concerted effort to do my best and pursue what interests and entertains me, rather than copying others. I do have influences, including some of the greatest filmmakers of our time, such as Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Guillermo del Toro, Christopher Nolan, David Fincher, James Cameron, Denis Villeneuve, and many others.
I am most proud of my ability to get things done. I start and finish the projects I undertake, and I focus on completion. This is often very challenging in filmmaking, but I feel I do it well. I have confidence and approach my goals with determination. When I struggle, I seek out mentors who help me build that confidence.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Let me start with my dislikes, as I prefer to give the bad news first. I’ve lived in Los Angeles County since 1985 and have certainly seen it change. My biggest concern is the ever-growing size of government and the high taxes. When I first moved here nearly 40 years ago, the sales tax rate was about half of what it is today. Everything is more expensive due to the expanding government, which creates challenges for filmmakers. There are countless bureaucratic hurdles and government-related costs in the film industry, which often discourages filmmakers and drives them elsewhere. That’s what I really dislike.
On the positive side, aside from the great food and business opportunities, Los Angeles is home to many talented and celebrated professionals, which makes it easier to achieve higher-level projects. It’s possible to make a film with a well-recognized actor because so many of them live here. I also get involved in community matters and have actively lobbied to reduce the costs of filmmaking in our area. I believe that if we continue down the current path, it will become increasingly difficult for Hollywood and Los Angeles to maintain their positions as major hubs for filmmaking.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/borntodeal
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borntodeal/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/borntodeal
- Twitter: https://x.com/borntodeal
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3fcIKhBVrUzLTjP2gx4n_A?sub_confirmation=1
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@borntodeal
Image Credits
All images are courtesy of Jedah.
