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Who We Are
Our Why
Every single person in our team wakes up every morning with a deep desire to Nurture Africa’s Creative Voice. We do this by building brands through YouTube and video
Our Promise
We’ll solve your online video needs through human analysed, data-led creativity. A genuine passion for our work drives an optimism that remains rooted in reality
Our Values
Whether you’re a team member or client,
we ensure:
Integrity,
Innovation,
Impact,
Positivity,
Quality
NOTE WORTHY
Moments
We have shared some memorable moments as a business as well as together with our clients. These are just a few of the notable moments
SEM Speaking at FAME Week Africa - Connecting The World of Social Media with the TV, Film and Music industries.
Back for a second year, our incredibly talented Operations Manager (Aleks Surogina), Content Strategist (Raeesa Dhorat) and CEO (Danilo Acquisto) took to the stage at MIP Africa as part of FAME Week. We were invited to present 2 sessions; a YouTube 101 and Social Media’s role in TV Properties. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to drive the industry forward and look forward to seeing you there next year.
On the news - CNBC Africa
Our CEO was invited to speak on the news about YouTube's growing economy in South Africa and Africa and how to 'Make It' on the platform.
Benchmarking success with the IAB Summit
IAB set the benchmarks for work that works. As YouTube is largely untapped, we were invited to present YouTube best practice and case studies to their various stakeholder, members and exclusive guests
Joining the CANEX panel at the Intra-African Trade Fair 2021
Our business has grown tremendously since inception. It was an honour to present alongside some of Africa's biggest and brightest creatives in all forms of media to inspire creatives from all over the content to build businesses on YouTube
Launching the Female Voices Development Program
This is one of greatest loves as a business on our journey to Nurture Africa's Creative Voice. Developing a program for a cohort of brilliant female voices on YouTube to nurture them over 12 months and to build sustainable businesses on YouTube - taking a small step to making the platform more equitable.
MEET
Our Core Team.
Danilo Acquisto
Co-Founder and CEO
Danilo Acquisto is the CEO and Co-Founder of Special Effects Media South Africa, using his passion for media, entrepreneurship, leadership and digital media to drive economic empowerment and social impact in Africa. His vision is to build Africa's most impactful agency.
Aleksandra Surogina
Head of Operations
A narrative-trained creative producer turned operations lead, Aleksandra Surogina bridges creativity and structure at Special Effects Media South Africa. Her experience spans across film, content curation, social media, and digital strategy - backed by a sharp eye for both story and scale.
Kyla Booysen
Head of Client Service
With almost 10 years in digital marketing, Kyla Booysen leads client service across the agency. She’s known for her strategic thinking, cross-platform expertise, and ability to turn complex briefs into high-performing digital work.
Casey Mantle
Head of Digital
With over a decade of experience in digital marketing, Casey Mantle leads the digital department at Special Effects Media South Africa. Her work has driven multiple industry award wins, alongside her industry leadership roles as IAB SA Influencer Marketing Chair for 2025/26, a two-time Assegai Awards judge, and an Echo International Awards judge.
