bio

Maya Shah is a visual storyteller who is currently pursuing a BFA in Television & Film Production with a concentration in Screenwriting, at DePaul University in Chicago. She has aspirations to write, direct, edit, and music supervise within the industry.

Growing up, Maya felt invalidated by many of the films and television shows she watched, as they lacked experiences that she could relate to as a South Asian American woman with mental health struggles.

Her writing explores both themes of the cultural divide she has faced all her life, as well as her battles navigating the world with mental illnesses. She looks to direct her various screenplays in the future. Additionally, she hopes to join industry organizations that push for more diversity, inclusion, and three-dimensional representation within the media.

As a filmmaker, Maya has produced and edited a wide variety of content, including music videos, short documentaries, and corporate branded content. Coming from a music background, she is passionate about both filmmaking and music, and aspires to fuse the two together in the work she creates. As a musician, she has performed and produced several videos highlighting her jazz and classical piano skills. 

Maya wants to create experiences through her art. It is her mission that her art brings people together and creates a foundation of love and kindness throughout various communities. She hopes to achieve this through melding her various experiences, struggles, and passions together in her art.