My Friend, Max Hate

Ideation - Single

2025

Bensimon Byrne / Narrative XPR, Toronto, ON
e: letschat@bensimonbyrne.com
w: bensimonbyrne.com

Chief Creative Officer: Joseph Bonnici Executive Creative Director: Debbie Chan Creative Director: David Mueller Associate Creative Director: Ana Segurajauregui Sanchez Art Director: Zoë Gray Writer: Nate Houseley Agency Producer: Michelle Pilling Senior Strategist: Pat Martini Program Director: Oliver Glover Account Director: Cole Douglas Senior Account Manager: Samantha Sartor Account Manager: Kanishka Punjabi, Aaron Short Executive Producer: Amanda Morrison Director: Angie Bird Director of Photography: Mat Barkley Line Producer: Kailey Shanque Offline Producer: Sam McLaren Offline Editor: Michelle Czuker Offline Assistant Editor: Matt Blakely Online Producer: Andrew Tavares Online Editor: Saba Zahir, David Whiteson Colourist: Eric Whipp Shoot/Edit (Social): Marco Libretti Audio Producer: Julia Vasiliev Audio Director: Jared Kuemper Engineer: Jared Kuemper, Marcel Hidalgo, Tyler Young Client: White Ribbon

My Friend Max Hate is a meticulously crafted film where every element was designed to enhance the story's impact. The direction brings nuance and empathy to each performance, particularly the young boy's transformation. Cinematography pulls viewers into his emotional spiral, while unsettling sound design and a haunting score amplify the film's tension. Even the puppet's design and dialogue were carefully crafted to reflect real-world tactics used by toxic influencers.