Carlos Pérez is a Puerto Rican film director, music video director, graphic designer, and the Creative Director/founder of the creative studio Elastic People. He is a five-time Latin Grammy Award nominee and a two-time winner for his music videos “Despacito” (Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee) and “Amor Eterno” (Marc Anthony).
Career In the beginning of his career, Pérez worked for a firm that specialized in automotive design, where he worked as a Senior designer for brands such as Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Pérez was also appointed creative director of the graphic design firm Pinkhaus in 2000 before eventually founding Elastic People in 2002. At Elastic People, Pérez engaged in designing album covers and directing music videos for artists such as Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Ricky Martin, and Maná.
In 2004, Pérez served as the Creative Director for Daddy Yankee’s "Barrio Fino" album, designing its cover and directing the music video for the lead track, "Gasolina," which received an MTV2 Award nomination at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The music video also received a nomination in the MTV VMA’s Japan in the “Best Reggae Music Video“ category.
In 2005, Pérez directed his first documentary, Barrio Fino En Directo, a concert film and documentary of the making of Daddy Yankee’s album of the same name. It was featured in Billboard Magazine.
Two Elastic People projects designed by Carlos were featured in La Bienal Iberoamericana del Diseño in Madrid Spain in 2008, namely the packaging for the Tego Calderon album, The Underdog, along with a brochure about Guatemala designed to promote a Travel Channel documentary.
In 2009, Pérez also directed the Latin Grammy-nominated documentary Free Tempo: Victory, which documented the collaboration between The London Symphony Orchestra and federal inmate Latin Hip Hop artist David Sanchez Badillo, also known as Tempo. This work earned him a Latin Grammy nomination in the Best Long-Form video category.
In 2010, Pérez directed the first stereoscopic 3D music video in Spanish for Daddy Yankee’s song, “Descontrol.” In the same year, Pérez directed the music video for Daddy Yankee’s “Grito Mundia.”
In 2011, Pérez received a Latin Grammy nomination for directing the music video for Ricky Martin’s “Lo Mejor de mi Vida Eres Tu.”
Pérez directed Daddy Yankee’s “Pasarela” music video in 2012.
The following year, Pérez directed Ricky Martin’s “Come With Me” music video. Pérez also directed Draco Rosa and Ricky Martin’s “Mas y Mas” music video.
In 2015, he directed a music video for a bilingual song featuring Will Smith on the remix of “Fiesta” by Bomba Estéreo.
In 2016, Pérez directed Ricky Martin’s “Perdoname” music video.
In 2017, Pérez also directed the music video for "Despacito," by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, which broke five Guinness World Records and became the most-viewed music video in YouTube's history, earning a spot in Billboard's list of the "100 Greatest Music Videos of the 21st Century." Also in 2017, Pérez directed the music videos for Luis Fonsi and Demi Lovato’s “Échame La Culpa” and Daddy Yankee’s “Dura,” which hit the #1 spot on YouTube’s Music Video Global Chart.
In 2018, he directed another bilingual video "Está Rico" with Marc Anthony, Will Smith and Bad Bunny.In the same year, he directed the music videos for Daddy Yankee’s “Dura” and Ricky Martin’s “Fiebre.”
In 2019, Apple commissioned Carlos to design covers for Latin music playlists on Apple Music. He oversaw the creative direction and design of the album cover of Romeo Santos' Formula Vol.2, which was named Billboard's Album of the Decade from 2010 to 2020.
In 2022, Pérez directed Ricky Martin’s “Acido Sabor” music video and Don Omar’s “Let’s Get Crazy” music video.
In 2023, Pérez directed Ricky Martin’s “Fuego de Noche, Nieve de Dia” music video feat. Christian Nodal. In the same year, Pérez directed Don Omar’s “Sandunga” music video feat. Wisin & Yandel.
In 2024, Pérez collaborated extensively with Mexican singer Christian Nodal on music videos.He also directed Luis Fonsi’s “Roma” music video feat. Laura Pausini and Ricky Martin’s “A Medio Vivir” music video feat. Carín León.
He has also collaborated with artists like Bad Bunny, Ricky Martin, Don Omar, Draco Rosa, Bomba Estéreo, Laura Pausin, Demi Lovato, Ricardo Arjona, Sebastián Yatra, Maluma and many others.
Filmography
Music Videos YearArtistTitleAwards2025Ricky Martin, Carin LeonA Medio Vivir2025Laura Pausini, Yami SafdieEso y Mas2024Christian NodalLa Corazonada2024Marc AnthonyAle AleLatin Grammy Nominee “Best Short Form Music Video”2024Christian NodalKbron y Medio2024Christian NodalBandolebrios2024Christian NodalNo Me 100to BienTelly Awards - Gold Award - Music Video2024Luis Fonsi + Laura PausiniRoma2024Marc AnthonyPunta Cana2024Luis FonsiSantiago2023Ricky Martin + Christian NodalFuego de Noche, Nieve de Dia2023Marc Anthony + Pepe AguilarOjala Te Duela2023Luis FonsiBuenos AiresBerlin Music Video Awards Nominee “Best Art Direction”2023Don Omar + Wisin + YandelSandunga2022Ricky MartinAcido SaborBuenos Aires Music Video Awards Nominee “Video Favorito”2022Luis FonsiDolce2022Don OmarLet’s Get CrazyBuenos Aires Music Video Awards Nominee “Best Choreography” / Buenos Aires Music Video Awards Nominee “Best Video Latino” Buenos Aires Video Video Awards Nominee “Best Styling”2021Marc AnthonyPa’ Alla Voy2021Marc AnthonyMala2021Luis Fonsi + Rauw AlejandroVacio2021Natti Natasha + Prince RoyceAntes que Salga El Sol2020Sebastian Yatra + Ricky MartinFalta Amor2020Marc AnthonyUn Amor EternoLatin Grammy Winner “Best Short Form” Music Video2020Prince Royce + Wisin & YandelAventura2020Yandel + J BalvinNo Te VayasBerlin Music Video Awards Silver Selection2019Marc AnthonyLo Que Te Di 2019Marc AnthonyParecen Viernes2019Luis Fonsi + Nicky Jam +Sebastian YatraDate La Vuelta2018Ricky Martin + Wisin & YandelFiebrePremios Quiero “Best Pop Video” Nominee / Latin VideoClip Awards “Best Direction” “Best Edit” “Best Tropical Video – Fusion” Winner2018Marc Anthony + Will Smith + Bad BunnyEsta Rico2018Daddy YankeeDuraMTV VMA Nominee “Best Latin Video” / Heat Latin Awards Nominee “Best Video”2018Romeo Santos + Juan Luis GuerraCarmin2017YandelMi Religion2017Romeo SantosImitadora2017YandelNunca Me OlvidesBerlin Music Video Awards Nominee “Best Cinematography”2017Luis Fonsi + Daddy YankeeDespacitoLatin Grammy Winner “Best Short Form” Music Video / 5x Guinness World Record / Billboard Music Award “Top Streaming Song/Video” WInner / American Music Award Nominee “Best Video” / Heart Music Awards Nominee “Best Music Video / ADC Awards Merit / 100 Greatest Music Videos of the 21st Century (Billboard Magazine)2017Luis Fonsi + Demi LovatoEchame La CulpaMTV VMA Nominee “Best Latin Video” / Billboard Music Award “Top Streaming Song/Video” Nominee / Heat Latin Awards Nominee “Best Video”2016 Ricky MartinPerdoname2015 YandelEncantadora2015Bomba Estereo + Will SmithFiesta Remix2014 Ricardo ArjonaApneaPremios Lo Nuestro “Video of the Year” Nominee2014Natalia JimenezCreo En Mi2014Yandel + Daddy YankeeMoviendo CaderasPremios Lo Nuestro “Video of the Year” Nominee2014 Ricky MartinCome With MePremios Lo Nuestro Nominee “Video of the Year” / World Music Awards Nominee “World’s Best Video”2013Draco Rosa + Ricky Martin Mas y MasPremios Juventud Nominee “My Favorite VIdeo” - Premios People En Español “Best Video” Nominee2013Marc AnthonyVivir Mi VidaPremios People EN Español “Best Video” Nominee2013Yandel Hable De TiWorld Music Awards Nominee “World’s Best Video” / Premios Lo Nuestro Nominee “Video of the Year”2012Prince RoyceCosas PequeñasPremios Juventud Winner “My Favorite Video”2011Marc AnthonyA Quien Quiero Mentirle2010 Ricky Martin Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres TuLatin Grammy Nominee ‘Best Short Form Musić Video” / Premios Juventud Nominee “My Favorite Video”2010Daddy Yankee Grito Mundial2010Los Temerarios Loco Por Ti2010Daddy Yankee Descontrol2009Mala Rodriguez Volvere2009Don OmarVirtual Diva2009Don Omar The Chosen2009Don Omar System Upgrade2009Don Omar Sexy Robotica2006Daddy Yankee RompeMTV VMAs “Best Hip Hop Video” Nominee2006Daddy Yankee + Snoop DoggGangsta Zone2005Don Omar + Tego Calderon Bandoleros2005Don Omar Donqueo2004Daddy Yankee Corazones2004Daddy Yankee GasolinaPremios De La Gente “Music Video of the Year” Winner / Nominee MTV VMA’s MTV2 “Best Music Video“ / MTV VMA’s (Japan) “Best Reggae Music Video“ Nominee / Track added to the Library of Congress Recording Registry2004Daddy Yankee King Daddy2003Ricky Martin Tal VezPremios De La Gente “Music Video of the Year” Winner2003Ricky MartinJaleoPremios Lo Nuestro “Video of the Year” Nominee / Viva Tv Awards “Best International Music Video”
Documentaries YearArtistTitle Awards2024Marc AnthonyMuevensen: Creative Conversation with Lin-Manuel MirandaWebbys - Honorable Mention - Documentary Telly Awards - Silver Award - Documentary2024 Christian Nodal Pal’Cora2019 JuanesAire Fresco2009Free TempoVictoryLatin Grammy Nominee ‘Best Long Form Musić Video2005Daddy Yankee Barrio Fino En Directo
References