The path of an artist is rarely direct and almost never given the respect for the tenacity which it so deserves. Andres Felipe Acosta Castañeda (aka AFAC) doesn’t take this misunderstanding too harshly from others because he didn’t fully comprehend its power in his own life at first. A young boy fascinated by music, photography, writing, and a general interest in the Arts & Humanities, Andres studied Industrial Engineering until he saw his own future in an uncreative light and threw himself into film school. Another unforeseen turn occurred when AFAC found the world of new media (online content) more available and creative to him than traditional avenues. His digital productions for big media channels like Caracol Television, Bodytech (the largest gym in Colombia), dignitaries like Aruban Prime Minister Mike Eman, and (award-winning) Grandes Historias (YouTube series) illustrate that Andres finds a compelling story to present regardless of subject matter or setting. As one of the most in-demand content director/producers of new media in present day, AFAC’s fame has followed him to his company Black Motion Box and its music videos and online campaigns for platforms such as Instagram.
Elevn is the two-time winner (2017 & 2021) of Red Bull’s Batalla de los Gallos (Battle of the Roosters”) in Colombia which pits Hip-Hop freestylers against each other in front of a stadium audience of thousands. The international fame this brought him allowed Elevn to work with Andres on two of his most popular songs and videos “FCKTU” and “Son Y Ron” for his social media channels and digital communications. “FCKTU” gives insight to Elevn’s world and how those close to him bring strength. “Son Y Ron” uses imagery to present the romantic decisions in a passionate relationship. Elevn feels strongly about the direct communication offered by digital media to connect personally with his fans and chose Andres for his ability to empower this with an artistic perspective. AFAC informs, “An important part of the creative process with Elevn is to get his content as authentic as he is. Many of the artists are out there looking for fancy narratives but Elevn is always looking to show his audience who he is and that allowed me to go deep as a director to find his language. I think this alliance will deliver more and better music content with time. We’re actually talking about new projects for his Latin American and US tour and releases in 2023.”
Colombian singer songwriter La Cobo utilized Andres to translate her music into imagery for her social media and for web content. Antes de huir was a project granted as a winner of the fund “Beca Videoclip Musical – FUGA 2021”. A large portion of the evaluation which led to AFAC’s selection for this project was his experience as content director and his content proposal presented to the jury. The video he created for her song “Antes de Huir” is the perfect embodiment of the warm and inviting mood of this contemporary R&B song. Comprehending the very personal and emotional intention of the artist is vital and seemingly intuitive for AFAC who states (about “Antes de Huir), “Storytelling is about building a constant connection between the story, the characters and the audience with identification and we wanted to get this by literally taking them out to the universe but at the same time having very human emotion and ‘terrenal’ fears. So this magic trip and fantasy world is the path they have to cross to find themselves beginning the real trip at the end of the story as we all have to cross our fears and doubts every day.”
Andres’s skillset is shown for its versatility in a dazzling display of vivid color art-meets-advertisement in his work with That Sandwich via Instagram. From images of the sandwiches and burgers to balanced yet bright hues of blue, yellow, purple, and others colors which intensify the impact of the photos and photo combinations, That Sandwich is rapidly gaining an American audience thanks to what Andres has created for their Instagram page. The Colombian brand is taking full advantage of the creative skill wielded by Andres as a content creator who knows so well how to engage an audience. Of course, retaining that same attention is just as important and something that he’s proven equally adept at. AFAC describes his approach and affinity for this project stating, “That Sandwich offers a different kind of challenge as it required me to build every single part of the project, from the minimum piece of content to the kitchen intellectual property designs, recipes, and operation. That Sandwich is the masterpiece of my transmedia projects; a brand built to offer content, music, tattoos, events, culture, digital communities, audience interaction and really good food.” From music videos with award-winning musicians to emerging food brands and beyond, Andres Felipe Acosta Castañeda is a master communicator and creator. His company, Black Motion Box is expanding to work within the United States, bringing its exceptionalism to America.
Writer: Coleman Haan