Alice Brooks

Biography

Alice Brooks is an accomplished American cinematographer celebrated for her vibrant visual storytelling and her ability to infuse emotion and energy into every frame. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Brooks grew up surrounded by creativity—her mother was an artist, and her father worked in the film industry. Her early exposure to the world of filmmaking inspired her to pursue cinematography as both an art form and a career.

Brooks earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, one of the world’s leading film programs. There, she developed a passion for using light, color, and movement to convey story and emotion. Her collaboration with director Jon M. Chu began during their time at USC, forming a creative partnership that would define much of her career.

She first gained recognition for her work on Jem and the Holograms (2015) and later achieved widespread acclaim with In the Heights (2021), the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical. Brooks’s cinematography in In the Heights was praised for its dynamic energy, rich color palette, and seamless blend of realism and fantasy. She went on to reunite with Chu for the upcoming film adaptations of Wicked, showcasing her continued mastery of large-scale, emotionally charged visual storytelling.

Beyond her feature film work, Brooks has also shot numerous music videos, short films, and television projects, always emphasizing the emotional truth of a story through her visual choices. She is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and is recognized as one of the leading female voices in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Through her bold use of light, texture, and movement, Alice Brooks has established herself as a visionary cinematographer—bringing depth, beauty, and humanity to every story she helps tell on screen.