Allow Me To Introduce Myself

My name is Sean Hammond. I founded Surf Star Media in 2004. I work as a hired gun — the person brought in to make complex things actually work. Lately, that means AI.

Sights &
Sounds

“I'm not an AI guy who stumbled into a business. I'm a twenty-year operator who found the most powerful tool of his life — and I care too much about the work to use it carelessly.”

“I'm not an AI guy who stumbled into a business. I'm a twenty-year operator who found the most powerful tool of his life.”

Creative Systems &
Producer

Portfolio

At my core, I'm a storyteller who learned to build the systems that make a story actually land. Over the last twenty years I've worked in places most people don't get to see — major label marketing, professional sports operations, rock tours across the country — and spent just as much time behind the scenes, helping people get their shit together.

My goal has always been simple: make things that are clear, honest, and worth someone's time. That's the whole job.

Some
Career
Highlights

Platinum
Record

Adele - 19 * College Marketing

19 became a global success, reaching number one in the United Kingdom, while also reaching the top 10 in fifteen other countries, including the United States. The album has sold over 8.5 million copies worldwide and has also sold over 2.5 million copies in the UK to become one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. The album was listed in the top 20 best-selling debut albums of all time in the UK. I worked on the team that marketed this record.

Gold Record	Sara Bareilles - Little Voice * College Marketing
MLB	My desk sat right across the hall from Frank Robinson
Warped Tour	46 festival concerts each summer all across North America
Red Rocks	The Bouncing Souls Borrowed My Guitar For A Sold Out Show At Red Rocks
Spring Training	I accidentally played "Another One Bites The Dust" to an entire stadium when Albert Pujols struck out
Author	I have published 3 books and participated in comic cons and pop culture events across the country
Studio	I have been an audio engineer for 4 studio albums, and dozens of singles
Duran Duran	I played bass in a Duran Duran cover band for exactly 1 show

Gold Record	Sara Bareilles - Little Voice * College Marketing
MLB	My desk sat right across the hall from Frank Robinson
Warped Tour	46 festival concerts each summer all across North America
Red Rocks	The Bouncing Souls Borrowed My Guitar For A Sold Out Show At Red Rocks
Spring Training	I accidentally played "Another One Bites The Dust" to an entire stadium when Albert Pujols struck out
Author	I have published 3 books and participated at comic cons and pop culture events across the country
Albums	I have assisted in the recording of 4 studio albums, and dozens of singles
Duran Duran	I played bass in a Duran Duran cover band for exactly 1 show

Telling Stories Through Photos

Telling Stories Through Visuals

When we cut through the noise, at the heart of media and marketing, we're trying to inspire beliefs, desires, and emotions within our audience. We ask for their attention, and in turn it's our responsibility to deliver meaningful messages.

Founded In 2004

Surf Star Media began out of necessity. Because I was the youngest working in a cubicle in an office, my bosses assumed I understood technology. Their pet projects got me out of regular work, so I accepted the challenge.

I learned Photoshop and video editing as I went. I eventually started street teaming for bands in my free time and they needed flyers. Then they needed a website. Then I was asked to run audio.

Over the years, the work took me across North America on rock and roll tour buses, on expeditions to some of the most remote regions of the Western Hemisphere, and into professional sports — helping ballplayers win championship rings. Along the way, I spent my time documenting and presenting stories to the world in one fashion or another.

When I’m not being creative for others, I’m being creative for myself. So far, I’ve written three books and shared them at comic cons and pop culture events across the country. I’ve been on panels discussing writing, science fiction, and philosophy. I’ve been a guest on podcasts and radio shows talking about existentialism and artificial intelligence. Somewhere along the way, I managed to earn a B.A. in Philosophy from UNLV.

I’m a busy person — meaning, I have to keep myself occupied with a project. It’s a compulsion. Technology is always changing and evolving, and there’s no time to be complacent. Right now, I’m obsessed with Artificial Intelligence.

Not the way most people are. I don't much care about the hype, or which model tops the leaderboard this month. What grabbed me is older than all that — the questions I studied in philosophy, suddenly made real. What does it actually mean for something to think? To be honest? To trust a mind that isn't a person?

So for the last few years I've been doing the real work of it — not just prompting or annotating, but treating these systems the way I've treated every complicated thing I've ever built: as something you have to design the right conditions around before it does anything worth a damn.

Turns out twenty years of holding chaos together for other people was preparation for this. I just didn't know it at the time.

Creative Headquarters

After living out west most of my life, my studio is now located in the western mountains of Maine. It's a beautiful, fully functional creative space for design, recording, and production.

With exposed trusses and cathedral ceilings, the 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos control room offers the latest technology with sound treatment.
The recording space is specifically designed for tracking vocals and spoken word.
Our products are developed with Apple machines that make use of Adobe Creative Suite, Topaz Labs, Claude, Grok, Gemini, ChatGPT, LeonardoAI, and ElevenLabs.

Audio discernment

I’ve spent years engineering and producing audio — studio albums, narration, mixing, and post-production. Most of that work happens in a treated control room, but the real craft isn’t the gear. It’s the judgment calls: knowing when a voice feels present versus just clean, when pacing serves the emotion, and when something technically correct still feels dead.

That same ear and decision-making now extends into daily work with frontier models. I’m not just prompting or annotating. I’m training how intelligence should actually sound.

Producing Intelligence

The through-line in everything I do is simple: I care about how intelligence shows up in the world. Whether I’m building a website, shaping audio, or collaborating directly with AI systems, the real question stays the same — how do we make this coherent, useful, and human?

I’m not interested in speed for its own sake or novelty for novelty’s sake. I’m interested in the conditions under which trust, clarity, and actual meaning emerge between people and the systems they create.

Relationship Design

Most of my work eventually comes back to one thing: how we relate to the tools and systems we build. I’ve watched what happens when that relationship stays shallow or extractive — the work gets thin, the output gets noisy, and nobody really trusts what’s being made.

I try to work differently. Slower when it needs to be slow. More deliberate. With the belief that how we show up in the process shapes what actually gets built.

Featured Organizations

Vans Warped Tour

The Vans Warped Tour was an iconic traveling music festival that rocked the alternative scene from 1995 to 2019. Founded by Kevin Lyman, it became a summer staple for punk, ska, and emo fans, showcasing a diverse lineup of bands across multiple stages. Beyond the music, it was a cultural hub that blended skateboarding, art, and community vibes, giving emerging artists a platform and fans a day of high-energy fun. It’s remembered as a rite of passage for a generation of music lovers.

Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals are a storied Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri, bringing heart and hustle to the diamond since 1969. Known for their passionate fanbase and iconic powder-blue uniforms, the Royals have clinched two World Series titles (1985 and 2015), showcasing a legacy of resilience and clutch performances. From Kauffman Stadium’s fountains to their small-market grit, they embody Midwest pride and baseball tradition.

Sony Music

Sony Music Entertainment is a global powerhouse in the music industry, headquartered in New York City and operating as one of the "Big Three" record labels. With a rich history dating back to 1929 (via its predecessor, Columbia Records), Sony Music boasts an eclectic roster of artists spanning genres—from pop icons to indie trailblazers. It’s a driving force in music production, distribution, and innovation, shaping soundtracks for generations worldwide.

City of Scottsdale

The City of Scottsdale is a vibrant desert gem in Arizona, renowned for its blend of natural beauty, upscale living, and cultural flair. Often called “The West’s Most Western Town,” it’s home to stunning Sonoran Desert landscapes, world-class golf courses, and a thriving arts scene. From Old Town’s cowboy charm to modern resorts, Scottsdale delivers a unique mix of relaxation and adventure for residents and visitors alike.

Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels are a Major League Baseball team based in Anaheim, California, swinging for glory since their founding in 1961. Known for their red-clad fans and the iconic “Big A” scoreboard, the Angels captured their lone World Series title in 2002 with a mix of scrappy play and star power. Representing Southern California’s baseball spirit, they’re a beloved fixture in the American League West.

City of Tempe

The City of Tempe is a dynamic urban hub in Arizona’s Valley of the Sun, pulsing with energy from Arizona State University and its lively millennial vibe. Nestled along the Salt River, it’s known for Tempe Town Lake, a scenic spot for recreation, and Mill Avenue’s bustling nightlife. Blending college-town charm with innovation, Tempe offers a youthful spirit and a gateway to the desert’s wonders.

Office of the Commissioner – Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball (MLB) is America’s pastime incarnate, a 30-team professional league that’s been thrilling fans since the late 19th century. Split between the American and National Leagues, MLB blends tradition with modern spectacle, from the crack of the bat at Yankee Stadium to the ivy walls of Wrigley Field. It’s more than a sport—it’s a cultural institution, delivering iconic moments like the World Series year after year.

Featured Projects

Recent Partnerships

Website & Local Commercials

Alpine Contracting

Improving real estate through meticulous attention to detail, high expectations, and a refined approach to client interaction.

Experience

Client Since 2010

Self Publishing

The Mortal Testament

Multi-cultural, multi-historical, and spanning man's faith across time, The Mortal Testament is a controversial and blasphemous last chapter of humanity.

Experience

Since 2016

Website

Westech Construction

Westech is a multi-experienced construction company serving various construction sectors from single family, multi-family, commercial, government, and military.

Experience

Client Since 2007

Website + Content Creation

Rafa Beleze

Through her unique artistic vision, Brazilian artist Rafa Beleze transforms the complex and often misunderstood experiences of adult diagnosed autism into powerful visual narratives.

Experience

Since 2024

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Interested in a Project?
Reach Out

Full Resume

Mailing Address

Surf Star Media
196 Main St. #413
Farmington, ME 04938

Let’s Talk

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+1-207-578-7375

Allow Me To Introduce Myself