Biography
Alan M. Brooks is a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina. He is a proud 2011 graduate of Claflin University where he obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Mass Communications degree. He knew that film was his life-long passion after the completion of his senior project entitled "Struggles." Before graduating, Alan received an award from the University's Great Work by Blacks student competition, where they awarded the next generation of Black creatives.
Furthering his passion for filmmaking, Alan applied to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). In the Spring of 2015, he obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film and Television from the prestigious institution. During his last year at SCAD, Alan entered into the 100 Words Film Festival, and his film "Peer Pressure" won the award for Best Student Film at the inaugural festival. Additionally, in 2016 his film "Wounded" starring Tommy Ford was entered into the South Carolina Underground Film Festival, and went on to win the Audience Choice Award and receive rave reviews.
Alan has had the opportunity to hone essential skills while at the Savannah College of Art and Design; and one of those additional skills was acting. He said in an interview, "I feel that a director should know how it feels to be on the other side of the camera." He went on to say, "I want to do it all, from the creative process to the business process of filmmaking."
Alan has been creating impactful films for audiences worldwide since graduating from film school. As a filmmaker, Alan's long-term goals are to work as a live multi-cam, commercial, and feature film director. However, his immediate goals are to become an episodic multi and single cam television director specializing in family dramas.
Alan has gone on to direct over two dozen short films, two feature films, and at least a dozen music videos featuring the following artist: JD McCrary from Disney's "The Lion King", Hip-Hop star Silento', BET "Sunday Best" winner Joshua Rogers, Billboard recording artist Jason Nelson, and Tray Chaney who starred in HBO's "The Wire" and Bounce TV's "Saints and Sinners". Alan is a two-time Telly Award winning director for his Chick-fil-A and Calvin Klein commercials, and he received an Honorable Mention in the Southeast EMMYS "Excellence in My Market Awards." In 2019, Alan's short film "The Portrait" was selected to premiere on ASPIRE TV during their Urban Indie Block. Additionally, his short film "Wrong House" was selected to premiere on REVOLT TV during a special two-hour Hip Hop Halloween episode of Short & Fresh. One of Alan's proudest moments was becoming an NAACP Image Awards nominee for Outstanding Short Form (Live-Action) for his film "Mr. & Mrs. Ellis." One of Alan's goals is to become a member of the DGA while continuing to tell universal stories to the masses.
