FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

How Max HP Productions works, who we serve, how we operate lean with senior talent, how AI fits into our post workflow, and how we relate to SWELL Labs and S77.AI.

What is Max HP Productions?

Max HP Productions is a New York-based production and post-production company delivering broadcast-level campaigns, brand films, commercials, and social content for fashion, beauty, luxury, and lifestyle brands. Founded in 2024 as a standalone LLC by creative director Tarik Malak, Max HP operates with lean teams of senior talent across production and an in-house post-production finish — no handoff friction between shoot and edit.

How is Max HP Productions related to SWELL and S77.AI?

Max HP Productions, SWELL Labs, LLC, and S77.AI share a founder (Tarik Malak) but are legally separate entities. SWELL is a full-service creative agency (founded 2010). S77.AI is SWELL's AI division (founded 2024). Max HP Productions is an independent production LLC — not a subsidiary — that serves as SWELL's preferred production partner. The three companies collaborate frequently but each is its own business.

What does "lean teams, senior talent" actually mean?

Most production companies staff projects with large crews composed largely of junior talent, forcing creative decisions through layers of approvals. Max HP runs the inverse model — small crews, senior-only roles. Every person on set is someone who has led campaigns at the Hermès / Nike / Samsung tier before. That structure removes approval layers, speeds decision-making, reduces day-rate bloat, and pushes quality up the stack. It's how we deliver broadcast craft on modern budgets.

What kinds of projects does Max HP Productions handle?

Everything from six-second social stories to 60-second broadcast commercials, with brand films, campaign content, editorial film, and multi-format deliverables in between. Recent credits include Hermès (fashion film), Samsung (Galaxy launch), Nike (athlete storytelling), MCM (global campaign), Vogue Korea and CR Fashion Book (editorial film), Kate Spade (seasonal campaign), and Juicy Couture (brand relaunch). See /work for the full roster.

What is "end-to-end post" and why does it matter?

End-to-end post means editorial, color grading, sound design and mixing, visual effects, motion graphics, and final delivery all handled in-house by the same senior team that shot the project. The practical benefit: the finish is considered from day one of pre-production, creative decisions compound across the pipeline, there are no vendor handoffs to manage, and turnaround times drop dramatically. Fewer surprises, fewer budget overruns, consistent quality from capture to delivery.

How does AI-assisted post-production work at Max HP?

Max HP integrates AI tools — previsualization, environment extension, compositing assists, automated versioning, intelligent asset management — where they demonstrably improve outcomes. The toolchain is powered by S77.AI's proprietary AI workflows. The principle: AI handles the heavy lifting (versioning, rotoscoping, upscaling, automated conforming); senior talent handles the taste (direction, grade, sound, final craft). Nothing leaks into public training data.

Where is Max HP Productions based? Do you travel?

Max HP is headquartered at 6 St Johns Ln, New York, NY 10013 — and works globally. New York shoots benefit from in-house crew and equipment; remote shoots scale up with vetted senior production partners in key cities. Post is always finished in-house in NYC regardless of shoot location.

Who directs projects at Max HP Productions?

Founder Tarik Malak directs most Max HP engagements personally. Paris-born, Sorbonne-educated, with over fifteen years directing campaigns for fashion, beauty, luxury, and lifestyle brands. For projects requiring a specific director's voice, Max HP also brings in vetted outside directors with senior-level credits.

How do I start a project with Max HP?

Email hello@maxhpprod.com with your brief, timeline, budget band, and deliverables. Most engagements start with a 30-minute call to align on scope, creative approach, and whether Max HP is the right fit. For retained relationships and ongoing campaigns, we also structure annual or per-campaign partnerships.

Do you work with agencies, or only direct-to-brand?

Both. Max HP works as a production partner to creative agencies (including SWELL Labs) — executing against agency creative and specs — and works direct-to-brand for in-house marketing, creative, and communications teams who want a senior production partner without an agency layer in between.