Today we’d like to introduce you to Maksym Balter.
Hi Maksym , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started my career in 2009 in Ukraine, working as an Assistant Director at the national TV channel Inter. That first job gave me hands-on experience with studio production, tight schedules, and broadcast standards, and it convinced me I wanted to stay in filmmaking long term.
In 2010 I moved into producing and co-founded my first production company, Sunset Media Production, where I focused primarily on commercials and corporate films. This experience — combined with my academic background in management and law — helped me develop a strong foundation in production leadership, client collaboration, and high-pressure execution. In 2014 I co-founded Bachoo Design Studio, a digital design and production agency that worked with international brands and earned recognition in global web and digital competitions. At the same time, I directed music videos and commercial shorts and began experimenting more seriously with narrative storytelling,including Phoenix, a short documentary about Holocaust history and the VFX-driven short Riposte, which became a finalist for Best Visual Effects at the global RØDE Reel competition.
In 2019 I founded my own film studio, Balter Films, and shifted fully into directing. During the COVID-19 lockdown I wrote, directed, and produced the short psychological film Together, shot in full isolation with a minimal remote workflow. It went on to screen at more than 20 international festivals, including the Cannes Short Film Festival and Venice Film Awards, earning awards for Best Horror/Thriller, Best VFX, and multiple craft categories. My next short, My Friend Alpaca, broadened my work beyond genre and earned more than 10 awards worldwide, including Best Director at ARFF Berlin and Best Short Drama at the NYC International Film Festival.
After years of working internationally, I relocated to Los Angeles to expand my practice in the U.S. market. Here I joined Higgsfield AI as an Executive Producer, where I became deeply involved in the emerging field of AI-powered video production. Over time I shifted from traditional directing into building controllable AI production pipelines, integrating generative tools into real workflows, and leading complex AI-driven projects for global brands and creators — including work for Snoop Dogg, MrBeast, AMD, and other major clients. Through this work I became known for bridging high-end production with next-generation AI technologies, helping shape the creative and technical direction of AI workflows now used by global companies. This transition allowed me to combine my production experience with advanced creative technology, and it has defined the direction of my work in the United States.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, the road hasn’t been smooth.
Early in my career the Ukrainian film industry was often unstable and underfunded, which meant that many projects had to be executed with very limited resources. That experience taught me to move quickly, think creatively under pressure, and deliver high-quality work even in unpredictable conditions.
One of the most defining challenges came during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, production across the world shut down, and I had to figure out how to make a film without a crew, professional lighting, or traditional set infrastructure. Together was created under those constraints — one actor in a single apartment, with two additional performers recorded remotely over Zoom, and a limited team of eight people, and extensive pre-production and rehearsals to make the shoot as smooth as possible with the resources we had. What could have been a production failure instead became a creative turning point: the limitations shaped the film’s style and emotional authenticity.
Another major challenge was transitioning to the international market and later relocating to Los Angeles. It meant starting over in one of the most competitive creative ecosystems in the world — building a new network, adapting to a new industry culture, and earning trust from scratch. But this process pushed me toward the work I do today in AI-powered production, where I collaborate with leaders across Hollywood and the tech industry.
Every stage — from television to founding my own studios to building innovative workflows under pressure — has made me more resilient, adaptable, and forward-thinking in my work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My company, Balter Films, is an independent production studio I founded after relocating to the United States. We create commercials, narrative films, music videos, documentary, and AI-enhanced storytelling designed for a fast, global, technology-driven media landscape.
In the U.S., I focus on the intersection of filmmaking and advanced production technologies. I lead AI-driven initiatives at Higgsfield AI as Executive Producer and Head of B2B, helping shape next-generation creative pipelines and building formats that merge cinematic quality with cutting-edge generative tools. My work there draws directly from my rare blend of experience: 20 years in film production, 7 years in product design, and 1.5 years contributing to mannequin.com, a breakthrough AI visual technology.
This hybrid background positioned me to lead complex AI-powered productions for global brands and creators — including AMD, MrBeast, Snoop Dogg, Headway, Flo Health, Simple, Omnicom, and others — where I bridge high-end production standards with emerging AI capabilities.
One project I’m especially proud of is my short film Together, winner of 35+ international awards and recognized as one of the most awarded independent short films of 2020. Its success opened doors to collaborations with U.S. creative teams and technology partners, and it continues to be referenced as a standout example of efficient, emotionally resonant, digital-first production.
What makes Balter Films distinct is our ability to blend emotional storytelling with technological versatility. We move fast, operate with lean teams, and work fluently across both classic filmmaking techniques and AI-powered creative tools.
My goal is to tell stories at the edge of technology and old-school professional filmmaking — honoring timeless cinematic principles while embracing the tools shaping the future of the craft.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve taken several major risks in my career, and each one pushed me into the next chapter of my professional life.
One of the biggest turning points was stepping away from a successful career in IT and product design. I built a thriving digital studio — Bachoo — grew it to 25 people, won dozens of international awards, and worked with global brands. But at some point I realized the work no longer inspired me. Walking away from a stable, award-winning business to start over in directing was a serious risk. I had no guarantees, no roadmap, and no idea whether I could rebuild myself creatively. But I chose filmmaking because comfort and growth rarely coexist.
Another risk came when I moved from producing to directing. Producing carries responsibility for a crew; directing carries responsibility for an audience — often millions of people. It requires maturity, vision, and the willingness to be judged entirely on your taste and decisions. I stepped into that pressure because I wanted to create stories, not just manage productions.
I also took a leap internationally. When I wanted to gain experience with foreign directors but was rejected by major production houses, I found a workaround: as an executive producer, I pitched and sold a project to the American startup Arcade Blast with British director Nick Jones — and then hired myself as the First Assistant Director. The shoot featured PewDiePie, was coordinated across four countries, and became one of my first major international production experiences.
The biggest creative risk came during the pandemic, when I shot Together. We had no budget, no crew, a single apartment, and only our own resources. I personally rewrote the script, rehearsed for weeks, and rebuilt the entire process to make a film under lockdown. It could easily have failed — but instead it became one of the most awarded independent short films of 2020, winning 35+ international awards and earning an official selection at the Cannes Short Film Festival.
And finally, relocating to the United States was a risk in itself. I left an established career behind to start from scratch in one of the most competitive creative industries in the world. But I’ve always believed that meaningful growth happens outside of stability. Every major step in my life — leaving IT, shifting to directing, joining the international market, and embracing AI-driven production — came from choosing uncertainty over comfort.
For me, risk isn’t about danger.
It’s about backing the future you want to build — before anyone else believes in it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.maxbalter.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maximbalter/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximbalter
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11462606/
