The Dreamer

This holiday, Apple explores what it means to give someone more than a gift: the belief in the artist they have yet to become.
Directed by Melina Matsoukas, with cinematography by Bradford Young and artwork by Hebru Brantley, “The Dreamer” follows an imaginative boy whose inner world comes alive through his art.. As childhood gives way to young adulthood, he puts his creative life aside. But his parents still see the artist in him. Their belief helps him find his way back.
Set to “Give Me a Dream” by Strawberry Guy, the film puts MacBook Neo at the heart of a deeply personal gesture. A gift from his parents, his first MacBook becomes a tool for rediscovering his artistry, helping him begin a storyboard for a new character, illustrated by artist Hebru Brantley complemented with the soundtrack by Guy.The story is personal for the people who brought it to life. Matsoukas, Young and Brantley drew on their own experiences as young creatives with big dreams, shaping a film about  their creative possibility and the people who nurture it.
“My goal with work is to create pieces that move people and create change in the world.  I saw the opportunity to do that with this project and was fortunate to work with a brand that had the courage to do so.  In this moment in the world, to deliver a message that inspires people to follow their passions, to protect our artists, and to look at the world as a canvas of possibilities, is something I’m very proud to have been a part of.” - Melina Matsoukas
Brantley created every piece of artwork seen in the film, from the boy’s early drawings to the animated character that brings his rediscovered creativity to life. His artwork traces the boy’s evolution as an artist, giving visual expression to his creative world. He developed the final character on MacBook Neo, moving between analog and digital as he worked.
“Our experiences shape what we create. My mother saw the artist in me before I could see it in myself, and her belief gave me the confidence to explore that – which I’ll continue to honor. That’s why this story is special to me. The right tools can help us unlock our creativity. For the young artist in the film, the MacBook Neo is also a reminder that his parents see the potential in him, and an invitation to reconnect with it.” - Hebru Brantley
In “Creating the Art,” a behind-the-scenes film for @helloapple, Brantley takes viewers inside that process, from early iterations to the artwork coming to life on set. He also reflects on the person who first recognized his own creative potential: his mother. “She saw it first and most,” he says.
That early belief helped him recognize what making art could mean. “I could create, I could make something from nothing.”
Across the film, the campaign brings a familiar Apple conviction to life: everyone has the potential to create something remarkable. Sometimes, it takes someone else to help us see it.
To learn more about Mac, visit apple.com/mac.