Alice Brooks is an American cinematographer best known for her work on feature films, particularly the film adaptations of the stage musicals Wicked (2024), Tick, Tick ... Boom! (2021), and In the Heights (2021).

Early life

Brooks grew up in Los Angeles and New York, the daughter of Candace Coulston of South Bristol, ME, and Stephen Levi, the late playwright who had numerous plays published by New York publishing company Samuel French. As a child, she acted in various national television commercial spots and was in a recurring skit on Late Night With David Letterman. Brooks graduated USC School of Cinematic Arts magna cum laude in 2001.

Career

Her work includes In the Heights, the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway production directed by Jon M. Chu, which received widespread critical acclaim for its cinematography; and Tick, Tick... Boom!, Miranda's directorial debut starring Andrew Garfield and produced by Ron Howard, based on the stage show by Jonathan Larson.

Brooks collaborates with Chu frequently; prior to In The Heights, the two worked together on The LXD: The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers in 2011, Jem and the Holograms in 2015 and Home Before Dark, Apple TV+'s 2020 crime-drama series. She worked again with Chu on the two-part film adaptation of Stephen Schwartz's Broadway musical Wicked for Universal Pictures. The first part was released in November 2024, with the second part scheduled for release in November 2025.

Her work on The Remix: Hip Hop X Fashion from directors Farah X and Lisa Cortés premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival and went on to win awards from Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival, Milwaukee Film Festival, Napa Valley Film Festival and the Sidewalk Film Festival. Her work has been featured on the cover of ICG Magazine Brooks also worked on 2021's Queen Bees, director Michael Lembeck's comedy-drama starring Ellen Burstyn, Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine, and James Caan.

Accolades

In 2004, Brooks was nominated and awarded WorldFest-Houston's Independent Short Subject-Films & Video - Cinematography - Shorts Platinum Award for her work on Charlie 2.0, Matthew Hsu's comedy short.[citation needed] In 2024, she and gaffer Dave Smith became the first recipients of the SUMOLIGHT Creative Synergy Award at the 2024 Manaki Brothers Film Festival for their work on Wicked.

Personal life

She has been married to Samuel Spencer since September 8, 2012.

Filmography

Film

Feature film

YearTitleDirectorNotes
2006MondayHeidi Van Lier
Ten 'til NoonScott Storm
You Did What?Jeff Morris
Grand JunctionFreddy F. Hakimi
2007A Light for GreytowersRobin Saex Garbose
2008MulligansChip Hale
2009Hungry YearsEva James Isaak James
2010American FlyerMark L. Christensen
2011Lucid PossessionToni Dove
2015Sweethearts of the GridironChip Hale
ApparitionQuinn Saunders
Jem and the HologramsJon M. Chu
2016Dance CampBert and Bertie
Girl Flu.Dorie Barton
North by El NorteMark L. Christensen
One FallMarcus Dean Fuller
We Love YouHuck Botko
2018Alex & MeEric Champnella
EmmaTim Kashani Kent Nicholson
2021In the HeightsJon M. Chu
Queen BeesMichael Lembeck
Tick, Tick... Boom!Lin-Manuel MirandaNominated - Satellite Award for Best Cinematography
2024WickedJon M. ChuShot back-to-back
2025Wicked: For Good
2027Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-VerseBob Persichetti Justin K. ThompsonAnimated film

Direct-to-video

YearTitleDirector
2004The HillzSaran Barnun
2006Bit PartsDave Reda

Documentary film

YearTitleDirectorNotes
2010Design RevolutionSally Levi
2019The Remix: Hip Hop X FashionFarah X Lisa CortésWith Nausheen Dadabhoy and Jendra Jarnagin

Television

YearTitleDirectorNotes
2010Wainy DaysDavid WainEpisode "Donna"
2010–2011The Legion of Extraordinary DancersJon M. Chu Scott Speer Ryan Landels Charles Oliver Christopher Scott21 episodes
2012S2udio CityChristopher Scott Herself Jamal Sims15 episodes
2013Tainted LoveAvi YouabianAll 6 episodes
2015The Kennedy Files4 episodes
2017Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands: War Within the CartelAvi YouabianTV short
The Walking Dead: Red Machete6 episodes
2020Home Before DarkJon M. Chu Kat Candler4 episodes

External links