Conversations with Fernando

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fernando.

Hi Fernando, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I consider myself someone who thrives when there’s a problem that needs to be solved. Ever since I was young, I was drawn to the how and why of things mostly due to my family moving around so much due to my dad’s job. Living in places like Manchester, Koln, and Mexico City (my hometown) while he pursued his dream, opened my perspective during those essential formative years. Each place was a new pool of knowledge, new problems, and the unwavering support for and from my father. One consistency I found even when I was moving around so much and at a young age was chess. I started with the chess club in Beaver Road elementary in Manchester. It was the right combination of fun and stressful, even though I didn’t win many tournaments back then, my attention was always drawn back to the game. It wasn’t until my 6th grade of elementary school back in Mexico City when I discovered a passion for design through model building and pencil drawing.
Fast forward a bit to my time in college. My main focus was to expand on my skills with 3D software, expanding my skill set with pencil and paper and absorbing as much knowledge as I could as a designer. This usually meant finding the simplest solution to the most complicated problem.
Around my last year of undergrad, I lost my father to cancer, it felt surreal as his diagnosis came almost at the same time as the covid pandemic. When I hear covid stories most are about working or taking classes online, my story was traveling to Houston back and forth, endless road-trips and 2 whole years that seem like a gift. Even if I didn’t see it then, now I’m grateful for the extra time my family had with him. During those years all I remember was having all the time in the world to be with my family.
When covid ended i carried the pain as it fueled my work as an architect and my final semesters in school. One moment that helped me get back on my feet was when I enlisted in the international Mexico chess open tournament where after a week of 8-hour shifts playing chess, my score ended up as 50% wins and 50% losses. Without a doubt it was one of the most stressful experiences in my life. I never thought that in a city of over 22 million people there could ever be such an intense and palpable silence.
Still having the loss of my dad over me I never lost sight of my goals. Since covid I had been accepted to a master’s program with a focus on entertainment design and my path was to continue in Los Angeles to pursue my career in entertainment. This brought a similar feeling of stress and the need to solve problems, this time without the safety of being on home turf.
Now in LA, what once was a desire and fascination of observing woodwork and daydreaming on how to execute complex designs became a reality as I searched for my calling in the school workshop. In no time at all I found myself building flats for student films, jail cells for short form videos and tinkering here and there like a mad scientist.
During my master’s program I explored the sensitive line that designers must cross between narrative and visual style through fictional world building with Maya, Rhino, and Unreal engine. My creative work now spans from practical world building to digital worldbuilding.

Today I work as a digital set designer with a background in architecture and a master’s degree in entertainment design. I specialize in creating immersive 3D worlds that blend storytelling with technical precision, practical set design, and execution, and even joining short form films as art director and construction coordinator.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It may sound vague, but it has been a series of trial and error. I didn’t just wake up one day and have my life figured out and a nice, paved road in front of me for me to follow. To this day it’s still hard to maintain my focus on my goals, and to overcome that you must remember the rockiest roads lead to the best outcomes.

My love for spatial design and creative problem solving have led to my desire to pursue architecture. My passion for drawing and model building drove me towards the entertainment industry. For almost ten years I was convinced this was my purpose because I was passionate about bringing other people’s creative visions to reality. Most of my classmates complained and even succumbed to stress. I always thought it was strange, but I thrived on that type of stress, finding solace and motivation when I hit that sweet spot between stress and flow state, I find it easy to tap into that connection between me and my work.

After some time, I found that the creative aspects of my career were those that I wanted to exploit as much as possible, this drove to shift my career path towards the entertainment industry. I can’t quite put a finger on a key moment as much as an evolving desire through meditation and active reflections of myself. It’s been about connecting with what I’m good at—like 3D modeling and construction. With what excites me, like creating environments that tell stories and spark emotions. My purpose feels like it’s still evolving, but I’ve learned that taking action, staying curious, and reflecting on what really matters to me have been the biggest factors in finding it.

Today my road is clearing up day by day as my place inside independent film projects seems more relevant, though I’m still starting on my journey and the road isn’t smooth yet, I can see the fog has started to lift and in my opinion that is fantastic progress.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Above all, I see myself as a spatial designer. My background is in architecture, and I later shifted into film and digital environment building, so my work blends physical design with digital storytelling. I’ve worked across both traditional film sets and virtual environments, and I most enjoy projects where those two worlds come together.
I build immersive environments, whether that’s for film, games, or branded content. Lately, I’ve been focusing more on live production and art direction, I still pull a lot from my architectural training when it comes to structure, layout, and visual storytelling.
One of my recent projects, I’m especially proud of, is a story set in the 1830’s short called Killer of Men, where I worked as art director. It was a great example of how visual design can support tone and emotion. I helped shape the world in a way that supported the story’s mood by modeling and manufacturing period accurate furniture, assisting in the manufacturing and aging process of props, and overall logistics work to pull the production designer’s vision to reality.
What sets me apart, I think, is the range I bring, from construction knowledge to digital tools. My practical knowledge directly translates into the way I build digital worlds. This brings to life grounded designs that have the option of practical applications and practical designs that I bring forth during my time at the woodshop for the art department—and the fact that I always approach design with story in mind. I’m not just trying to make something look cool; I want it to feel intentional, emotional, and part of a larger world.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Intention. Especially when it comes to design and storytelling. I really believe that every element in a scene, whether it’s a physical prop, a texture, or the lighting, should serve a purpose. I’m drawn to the idea that nothing should be random or purely decorative unless that randomness is part of the story.

I think a lot about a narrative principle called Chekov’s gun. Basically, it’s where if you introduce a gun in the first act, it should go off by the third. I apply that to design. If I place an object in a scene, or if I make a visual choice, I want there to be a reason. Maybe it hints at a character’s backstory, sets up a future moment, or supports the emotional tone. It doesn’t always have to be obvious, but it should feel deliberate.

That kind of layered, intentional design helps build the world and depth that the audience maybe isn’t or ever will be aware of. It makes the world feel alive and cohesive. It’s not just about visual style, it’s about meaning. And I think when you approach design that way, the work becomes a lot more impactful and lasting.

Pricing:

• Art Director – Negotiable
• Set Designer – Negotiable
• vfx work – $450 daily

Contact Info:

• Website: https://acunafernando.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: @acunathebuilder
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-acuna-2372a112b/

Image Credits
– Frank Caito
– Fernando Acuna