I’ll never forget the day I met Alice Brooks. She told me she still keeps a feather she found on Will Rogers State Beach – it was the day she finally told her mom she wanted to be a cinematographer, working behind the scenes instead of being an actress. It’s a special reminder of that important decision.
It was a pivotal moment for Brooks, who, at just 15 years old, had already spent ten years as a professional actor. She’d built an impressive resume by age ten, including nearly 40 national commercials, a tribute to Mary Martin on Broadway, and a recurring role on “Late Night With David Letterman.” Her sister was also thriving, and the family had relocated from New York to Los Angeles to support both girls’ acting careers.
In 1994, the day Brooks discovered the feather, she’d just finished auditioning for a minor role in the romantic comedy “While You Were Sleeping.” She was one of two finalists, but she had a feeling she didn’t get the part.
She realized she wasn’t truly interested in acting. After visiting her sister on film sets, she’d grown fascinated by the work of the lighting technicians.
She recalls the feeling of being on a dim film set as truly special. “It was amazing to watch how a single light could transform nothing into something magical,” she explains from her home in Maine. “That’s the kind of impact I always wanted to create with my work.”
Following the audition, Brooks and her mother strolled along the beach, where Brooks shared a surprising revelation: she didn’t want to act, but instead dreamed of becoming a cinematographer.
My mother responded with encouragement, saying she wanted to help me find a way to achieve my goal. Right then, I noticed a small feather on the ground. I had it framed, and it’s been with me ever since, serving as a reminder of when I first shared my dream.
It might seem like a fantasy, and in many ways, it is. A touch of magic would fit right into “Wicked: For Good,” the second movie in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” series, where Don Burgess was the director of photography.
The new movie, “Wicked: For Good,” which opens this Friday, picks up where the original story left off. It follows Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande), along with the people of Oz, as they deal with the fallout from Elphaba discovering that the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) isn’t the benevolent leader everyone thought – he’s actually a cruel ruler. As Elphaba fights for Oz’s freedom, characters are forced to choose sides and make difficult decisions.
I have to say, this film felt much more intense than the first one, both in its story and how it looked. I’ve always been impressed by Brooks – she really loves musicals, and it shows! She’s a master of color and even when the dance numbers are huge and elaborate, she can still focus on the smallest details with her close-up shots. It’s amazing to watch.
According to director Chu, Alice doesn’t focus on flashy camera techniques. Instead, she prioritizes the core elements of each shot – particularly the light – and approaches her work with a focus on human connection. She’s fundamentally a storyteller, not someone preoccupied with technical details.
Unlike “Wicked,” director Brooks used a handheld camera for many scenes in “For Good,” which focuses on quieter, more personal moments rather than large dance numbers. Elphaba and Glinda have both left Shiz University and are now living separate lives. The colors and lighting in their new surroundings show just how much their lives – and perspectives – have changed.
I’ve always loved how Brooks envisioned Glinda bathed in sunrise and Elphaba fading into sunset – it’s such a beautiful, symbolic touch. And the song ‘For Good’ really stands out to me, especially after all the vibrant energy of ‘Wicked’. It’s quieter, more intimate. I learned that as they were preparing the show, director Chu and the team actually created a detailed guide, almost a visual plan, to map out all the feelings and ideas they wanted to convey in each scene. It’s amazing how much thought went into every moment!
Brooks explains that the first movie focused on themes of celebration, happiness, strength, companionship, and having options. The second film, however, explored ideas of self-sacrifice, giving up control, and facing the results of one’s actions.
She explained that the first film was light and bubbly, while the second was more serious and thoughtful. However, she also noted a consistent visual style—achieved through lighting and camera work—that tied the two movies together.
Commentary: ‘Wicked’ box office proves Hollywood needs to take family films seriously again
Hollywood, let’s not dismiss family-friendly films! The successful opening of ‘Wicked’ proves there’s still a strong audience for movies the whole family can enjoy.
Brooks describes the “Wicked” movies as a beautiful love story between two women. However, true love stories are about sticking together through tough times and disagreements. Throughout their friendship, Elphaba and Glinda face challenges and ultimately have to decide what’s most important to them.
Brooks shared that her favorite scene in the movie features Glinda facing a tough decision. It’s filmed with very dim lighting and a narrow focus, drawing all the attention to Glinda’s eyes, allowing the audience to really connect with her emotions.
This shot feels unique, even within a movie that already relies heavily on quiet moments and static scenes.
According to Brooks, Jon fosters a team environment built on complete trust, where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and offering honest feedback, even if it means challenging his direction. The film itself, she explains, explores the moments of peace and reflection found within the chaotic and manipulative atmosphere of Oz.
According to Chu, Brooks truly understands and connects with her characters emotionally. He explains, “It’s not about flashy effects—it’s about genuine feeling.” This allows him to have open and honest discussions with her about their motivations and inner lives.
As a movie lover, it’s amazing to see what Alice Brooks has accomplished! She told someone almost 30 years ago on a Santa Monica beach that she had big dreams, and they’ve definitely come true. The last five years have been incredible for her, with work on films like “In the Heights,” “Tick, Tick… Boom!,” and “Queen Bees,” plus the upcoming “Wicked” movies. She even made history recently, becoming one of the very few women nominated for the American Cinematographers Society award for her work in a theatrical film – Rachel Morrison was the first, and Mandy Walker actually won last year! I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets nominated again for “Wicked: For Good.” And get this – she’s currently working on “Spiderman: Beyond the Spider-Verse!” It’s so exciting to see her talent recognized and to see what she does next.
Born and raised in New York City, Tyne Daly—known professionally as Brooks—came from a vibrant but financially struggling family. Her father was a playwright and her mother a singer and dancer. Brooks recalls a childhood lived in a small apartment above a blues bar, and remembers times when her family didn’t have enough to eat.
Brooks and her sister started acting as children partly because of the money. So, when she decided she wanted to be a cinematographer instead, it was a significant shift. She understood film school was necessary, but her family couldn’t afford the tuition.
Her mother agreed and decided on the film school at USC. Brooks remembers her mother insisting on applying in person and telling the admissions staff, ‘Alice is a strong candidate, but we’re worried about the cost.’
Two weeks later, Brooks was thrilled to receive a full scholarship to USC and a partial scholarship from the Ebell of Los Angeles.
Over the course of her studies, she met Chu.
Even before I met her, I’d heard about her talent,” he recalls. He remembers being particularly impressed by one of her first projects – a photo shoot she didn’t direct. The project started with a shot of the subway, and then, when the screen went black, a black light revealed all the graffiti. “I was immediately captivated and knew I wanted to collaborate with her.”
After graduating in 2001, she realized graduate school was financially out of reach. She worked as a waitress and spent a year volunteering to film the thesis projects of film students. She completed around 30 of these projects, including an early musical by Chu, titled “When the Kids Are Away,” which received a lot of praise. Chu was particularly impressed by her passion for musicals and her dedication, often staying up late to edit footage.
Like Chu, she was considered a rising star and wound up with a reel that got her an agent.
She chuckled sadly and admitted the following two decades were incredibly difficult.
Despite having an agent, Brooks struggled to find work that offered either good pay or valuable experience on film projects. She especially wanted to work on musicals, but opportunities in that area were particularly hard to come by. Looking back, she says the initial excitement from film school faded quickly.
I began creating short films that earned me around a hundred dollars a day, but they were never seen by anyone and weren’t very good, to be honest. After film school, where we had all the resources we needed, I suddenly found myself with nothing. So, I had to learn a new way of filmmaking – how to create movies with absolutely no budget.
After four years of working as a waitress and appearing in unsuccessful films, she grew tired of the harsh competition in Los Angeles and decided to leave.
It was so frustrating – I felt like I was almost on the verge of a breakthrough, but it kept slipping away. Eventually, I needed a change of scenery, so I moved to Maine, where my mom is now. It felt like the right place to try and figure things out.
She met her future husband, Sam Spencer, a businessman involved with the state’s Democratic Party, while attending President Obama’s inauguration in 2009. It was then that director Chu unexpectedly called – his first movie, “Step Up 2: The Streets,” had just come out, and he wanted Brooks to star in his next film.
I was outside in the cold in Washington, D.C., and hadn’t spoken to him in a couple of years. He suddenly called with an idea for a web series that Hulu wanted to make, and he needed me to be in Los Angeles the very next day.
Chu explains she called Alice because the show was incredibly ambitious but lacked funding – something they excelled at. They were skilled at being resourceful and creating great work despite limited means. Alice, in particular, consistently pushed boundaries and always found a way to innovate.
Movies
This fall, moviegoers can anticipate exciting releases like a Bruce Springsteen biopic, the film adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Running Man,” and the continuation of the “Wicked” story.
The following day, Brooks traveled to Los Angeles to start filming “The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers,” a web series about a group of men with the amazing ability to dance as their superpower. The choreography was done by Christopher Scott, known for his role in “Step Up 2,” and he later collaborated with Chu and Brooks on the projects “In the Heights” and “Wicked.”
The team spent three years creating “Legion” and later collaborated on the movie “Jem and the Holograms.” Unfortunately, that film didn’t help her career as they’d hoped.
“It was,” Brooks says, “a complete box-office disaster.”
In 2017, there was a brief possibility that she and Chu would work together again on a new musical drama for ABC, which seemed very promising.
She remembers thinking, ‘At last, I’ve done it!’ She was around 38 or 39 years old, had a child, and was earning more money than she ever had before.
When the show was canceled just days before filming was scheduled to start, Brooks felt like her dream was over.
She recalls sitting in the car and crying uncontrollably, thankfully while her daughter was asleep. She then told her husband she was finished with the situation, admitting she felt hopeless about her future and couldn’t continue like that.
Spencer gave Brooks permission to resign, but with a condition. Brooks remembers a long silence before he added, “You can’t leave right away. You need to stay for six months and really give it your all during that time.” Eventually, she agreed to his terms.
Brooks gained confidence after filming a short musical in New York. She then secured a new agent and went on to appear in the film “Queen Bees,” traveling from Maine each week for meetings to make it happen.
So, after I’d told my husband I was thinking of leaving my job, things went quiet for about six months. Then, out of the blue, he contacted me again. He was deep into production on “Crazy Rich Asians” and wanted me to connect with Dana Fox, who was collaborating with him on his next venture – a series called “Home Before Dark.”
After landing the job, she met Chu in Vancouver to start filming. He was so impressed that he immediately asked her to be in his next movie, “In the Heights.”
“‘Crazy Rich Asians’ had come out,” Brooks said, “and he suddenly had power to say who he wanted.”
And Brooks was exactly who Chu wanted.
He enjoys collaborating with someone who is both skilled and receptive to new perspectives. They challenge each other creatively, which makes their work together even better.
After working on “In the Heights,” she was asked by Lin-Manuel Miranda to film “Tick, Tick … Boom!,” a musical based on the life of its writer, Jonathan Larson. Tragically, Larson passed away on the opening night of his earlier musical, “Rent.”
Soon after, Chu told her that his team would be moving on to “Wicked.”
Brooks describes Jon’s team as a family, and mentions that several members, including herself, Chu, and Scott, recently filmed a Target commercial scheduled to air during the Christmas season.
Filming both “Wicked” movies simultaneously over 155 days gave Brooks access to all the resources she needed – including a dedicated team of 200 – allowing her to fully realize her vision as a cinematographer.
She says Jon inspires everyone to aim higher and unlock their full creative potential. He wants people to confidently pursue their best work.
Despite careful planning, things didn’t always go smoothly. Filming scenes with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo was particularly tricky, as each needed unique lighting setups, forcing the director to constantly communicate changes to the lighting team during filming. Also, when the Oz set was finished, the choreographer discovered it was larger than expected, needing an extra 100 dancers for large musical numbers. This meant the director had to rearrange the set to make room for cameras and equipment.
I recall being on the floor with Jon during that chaotic moment, trying to make sense of everything, and him joking that it felt just like being back in film school.
After five years working on projects in Oz, Brooks is now focusing on her first animated movie, “Spiderman: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” set to release in 2027. She’s also looking at filming locations for a Colman Domingo project that tells the story of the romance between Kim Novak and Sammy Davis Jr.
One of the places Brooks visited was the historic Ebell building, where she’d received a scholarship years earlier.
During the Zoom call, Brooks showed a feather she’d kept for three decades. She explained that pursuing a career in Hollywood is like trying to break through a brick wall by throwing stones – you work and work, making almost no progress, and eventually you feel like giving up.
“That’s the moment” she says, “when you have to keep going.”
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2025-11-19 14:37