Tara Sanders Brooks

I am a cinematographer and content creator residing in Los Angeles. I am a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where I earned her MFA in Film Production. My work on the documentary “Spokespeople” won the 2021 First Look Award at USC for Outstanding Cinematography, as well as Best Short Doc at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Other honors include being named a 2023 Women in Media Altitude Awards Semi-Finalist and lensing the short Gays' Straight Makeover, which premiered at the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

I spent four years as a writer and content creator for American Cinematographer magazine, where I have published over fifty articles as well as shooting, editing, and releasing videos and other content on a weekly basis. I am also a FAA certified drone pilot, member of ICFC, and proud IASTE Local 600 AC. 

American Society of Cinematographers 

March 2020 - November 2024

Writer and researcher for American Cinematographer magazine, digital content creation including writing, shooting, and editing material for the website and social media. 

Fujifilm 

August 2021- 2023 

Writer for Fujifilm’s website on technical cinematography terms, shooting and editing example videos of terms such as parfocal versus varifocal lenses.

Selected Production Experience--

 Solo Trip

Spring 2024 

Shot a feature film, directed by Madeline Blue and Ian McCellan, currently in post production 

Frequency Over Time 

Fall 2023 

Shot a short film, directed by Cari Sudmeier, which was a finalist at the NY Film Awards 

Trauma 4 Life 

Spring 2023  

Co-DPed a feature film, directed by Roy Berkley, currently in post production 

Stronghold 

Spring 2022 

C0-DPed a feature film, directed by Julia Camara, which won a Bronze Telly 2024 

MFA Film Production – May 2021  

University of Southern California 

B.A. in Theatre and Media Production, Minor Creative Writing – April 2018 

Pepperdine University, Summa Cum Laude