Today we’d like to introduce you to Maija Ehlinger.
Maija, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a freelance writer and data journalist, I am passionate about finding creative ways to tell untold stories.
My personal story started out in the suburbs of Los Angeles, where I grew up in a household that supported my passion for art, writing and travel. I learned at an early age that I loved telling other people’s stories – whether on film or on paper.
I first moved to Atlanta for college, where I had the opportunity to work on everything from web series to documentaries to long-form articles. I decided to stay in Atlanta to build up my professional career as I fell in love with the city as a cultural and creative epicenter.
As I’ve built up my writing career, I’ve also been able to help launch several Atlanta-based creative startups. As a writer/director for Atlanta Micro Theater and head of business development for RoleCall, I love the opportunity to share and curate the stories of Indie filmmakers and creatives from around our city.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In both writing and journalism, you hear 100 no’s before receiving a single yes. But persistence and creativity is what helps create better and more interesting stories.
Like most creatives, the early stages of launching my career meant balancing several jobs, taking on every project I could get my hands on, and working insane hours to make ends meet. But it was all of these different jobs that actually opened most of my doors as a writer. I’ve been able to meet wonderful people from around the city who have introduced me to the most interesting stories that need to be told.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
RoleCall is a one-stop shop for filmmakers. We know how difficult it is for Indie filmmakers to produce and distribute their stories, so RoleCall App is designed to make resources more accessible and communication more efficient.
But RoleCall has grown to be more than an app and actually more of a creative community. We curate Film Pitch and Atlanta Micro Theater, which are events designed to showcase the best talent from around Atlanta and the Southeast. As we grow, I am excited to be part of helping filmmakers and creatives tell their stories.
What were you like growing up?
I was a pretty bookish kid who was a complete nerd for history texts, NPR, political debates and travel documentaries (realistically, nothing much has changed). Luckily, I grew up with a filmmaker mother and a father heavily involved in theater who supported my interests.
I knew I wanted to be a writer since my third-grade teacher introduced me to poetry. While I’ve changed mediums from poetry to prose, I love bringing new stories and new views to life.
My name is Finnish (pronounced Maya), and grew up explaining my family’s background on a daily basis. This sparked my interest in understanding cultures and the unique ways we communicate our stories to others.
I was really fortunate that I grew up around people from all walks of life and from every corner of the world. Through travel and daily experiences I got to hear stories from so many different perspectives, which I believe ushered me towards my life as a writer and journalist.
Contact Info:
- Website: maijaliisa.com
- Phone: 8055586774
- Email: maija.ehlinger@gmail.com
- Instagram: @maijaehlinger
- Twitter: @maijaehlinger
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