Maximilian Erlenwein started his film career as a camera assistant. In 1999 he began studying directing technique at the Deutsche Film und Fernsehakademie Berlin. His graduation film at DFFB, Gravity(2010), was also his feature debut film awarded the First Steps Award as Best Full-length Feature Film, the Max Ophuls Award in Best Film, and Special Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival. With Robin von Hardenberg, Erlenwein founded the Fat Lady Filmproduktion in 2005, with which he has since been producing music videos, documentary films, image films and commercials. He obtained the German Advertisement Film Award in the category of Best Viral in 2011.