Alexander Yellen

Early life

Born in Washington D.C. to archaeologist John Yellen and anthropology professor Alison Brooks, Alexander Yellen attended St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.), graduating in 1999. He studied film at Wesleyan University where he received a B.A. in 2003.

Career

After college, Yellen moved to Los Angeles. To learn the craft of cinematography, he began working for free as a camera assistant on a number of student films at the American Film Institute. While working up the ladder and having joined the International Cinematographers Guild as a camera assistant, Yellen had the opportunity to shoot second unit footage under Eric Steelberg on Quinceañera. Quinceañera won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. This helped Yellen secure a job shooting film for The Asylum. The number of feature films for which he has served as Director of Photography (DP) now totals 68, including the cult classic Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus. He has been DP on 68 projects including numerous commercials and content. Yellen also shot the film Born Bad for the Lifetime (TV network) and the independent high school comedy Sports Heaven.

Yellen has directed five episodes of Z Nation, Syfy's highest rated show.

His most recent work includes Circus Kane and Purple Rose.

Participating in the Race Across America as a crew chief for Team Beaver Creek, Yellen and his team won the race in 2006 and 2007.