Maddy Leja: How One Stamps Student Found Their Voice Through Film

Maddy Leja’s (BFA ​‘25) interest in illustration evolved into a full-blown passion for live-action filmmaking. 

Reflecting on their time at Stamps, Maddy recounts a transformative weekend spent shooting their original film In the Woods with a 20+ person crew of fellow creatives — an experience that crystallized their commitment to storytelling through cinema. With influences ranging from immersive lectures to hands-on coursework and a pivotal role in student production company Filmic Productions, their Stamps journey is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary exploration, community, and finding your creative calling in unexpected places.

How has your work evolved from your first year to now?

I started my time at UM as a computer science major in LSA before switching to art and design at Stamps my sophomore year; in my junior year, I added a business administration minor through Ross. I primarily focused on illustration at the start of my Stamps artistic journey. However, after taking Studio: 3D with Sally Clegg, I realized the value of exploring unfamiliar mediums and weaving complex ideas into my work. During my junior year, after taking Intro to Video with Cynthia Pachikara and joining the on-campus student production company Filmic Productions, I began to focus more on the medium of film as well as messaging relevant to queer theory and history. Now, as a senior, I am fully committed to live-action filmmaking and hope to pursue a career as a writer/​director/​producer on sets that center queer stories. 

Looking back on your time at Stamps, what has been the most memorable part of your journey?

The most memorable part of my journey at Stamps was the weekend I spent shooting my film, In the Woods, with a dedicated group of 20+ creatives consisting of my Stamps peers, Filmic Productions members, and other volunteers from both on and off campus. We spent three consecutive days at a cabin in Grass Lake, Michigan, setting up and recording scenes, and I am extremely grateful to my entire crew and cast for all the incredible work they put into the film production. I will never forget the intense feeling of pride and exaltation I experienced when we wrapped on our final night at the cabin; it was like I could reach out and grab the stars from the sky.

Was there a particular class or project that had a lasting impact on you?

Every Thursday evening, all Stamps students gather in the Michigan Theatre for the Penny Stamps Speaker Series, an hour-and-a-half-long class and public lecture series where a visiting artist present their work. Near the end of my sophomore year, audiovisual artist Sam Green took to the stage to present his immersive documentary and sensory experience, 32 Sounds. The film — which made use of both audio and image to explore how sound impacts us — exposed me to the unique and profound impact of audiovisual art on audiences. Featured within the film is a recording of the mating call of the last Kauaʻi ʻōʻō bird on earth; the profound feeling of heartache this elicited in me planted a seed that later blossomed into an intense personal devotion to the audiovisual arts.

Is there a faculty member who inspired or mentored you to create in a new way? How did they influence your work?

During the first semester of my senior year, I took Narrative Forms with Peter Brauer. For this class, I wrote the feature-length screenplay for my IP film, In the Woods. While working on my screenplay, I received valuable guidance and critiques from Peter, a filmmaker who is well-versed in film production. He helped me hone my narrative into something more impactful and well-written and gave me production and filming advice. Without his guidance, In the Woods would never have become a reality.

What advice would you give incoming students about making the most of their time at Stamps?

Stamps is an interdisciplinary program at its core. You will be most successful here if you open yourself up to exploring new mediums, methods of making, and ways of thinking about art. Maybe you will come out of this exploration with a new main medium (like me), or maybe you will realize your current methods of making truly are what suit you best. By exploring the diverse array of what Stamps has to offer —taking classes outside your comfort zone, participating in student galleries, using the school’s equipment, etc.— you will gain the critical thinking skills needed to become a leader in the creative world.

What’s one skill or lesson you’ve learned here that you’ll carry with you beyond graduation?

During my time spent at Stamps and working on film projects, I have learned the inherent value of artistic collaboration. Art does not exist in a vacuum, and we create more meaningful pieces when we communicate with and draw from the experiences of those around us. Film is a deeply collaborative medium — every role, from sound engineer to producer, is linked to all the others in some way — but other mediums have just as much potential to foster community. There is value in pushing past the oftentimes isolating standard of studio work, especially in an era defined by globalization, diversity of thought/​experience, and celebration of difference.

What are your next steps after graduation, and how do you feel Stamps has prepared you for them?

After graduation, I plan to try breaking into the film industry by searching for production assistant positions on any set that will have me. Thanks to UM’s vast alumni network, I already know a handful of filmmakers who can help me find my footing. I hope to work my way ​“up the ladder” into writer, director, and producer roles on both indie and studio sets. I will also apply to international MA programs for film arts to bolster my portfolio and build a global network of filmmakers. Film is a highly interdisciplinary industry home to an incredible array of roles: art directors, writers, producers, cameramen, sound engineers, etc. This is why Stamps’ interdisciplinary approach is so valuable: it provided me with the skills and acumen necessary to work with people across the creative spectrum.

If you could give yourself one piece of advice as a first-year student, what would it be?

The college experience is what you make of it, and one way you can make the most of it is by becoming involved with a student organization. After feeling somewhat lost on campus during my first two years of college, I was admitted into the student-led production company Filmic Productions at the start of my junior year. I have since worked with the club as an art director on a variety of different film projects: a music video for local band Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers, a promotional video for the Trotter Multicultural Center, an educational video for UM transportation in the form of a musical, etc. My involvement with Filmic led me to love filmmaking, and I will be forever grateful to the club for providing me with a community of friends and making my time at UM unforgettable. Cinema everywhere, even in college!