After several unpleasant experiences during his childhood, a boy who loves drawing and painting begins hiding his creativity from others. Although he withdraws, he does not stop creating. He continues developing his talent in secret until his parents give him a MacBook Neo when he is a teenager. The gift gives him the opportunity to dedicate himself to art again, while also showing him that his parents believe in what he does.
This is the story of Apple’s new holiday film, titled The Dreamer, in which the technology product is not presented through its features, but through the family’s attitude toward a young man’s creative ambitions. Instead of the usual emphasis on gift-giving, the campaign explores how much the support of others can influence our decision to continue doing what we love.
The four-minute film was created in collaboration with TBWA\Media Arts Lab and directed by Melina Matsoukas, through the production companies PRETTYBIRD and De La Revolución. The director of photography is Bradford Young, while Hebru Brantley is responsible for the artwork featured in the film. The soundtrack features the song Give Me a Dream by Strawberry Guy.
The drawings that accompany the main character’s growth play a particularly important role in the storytelling. Brantley created all the artwork featured in the film, from the boy’s earliest drawings to the animated character that appears at the end. Their gradual transformation reflects the development of his talent, while the final animated character was created by combining analogue and digital techniques, including the use of a MacBook Neo.
The film’s creative approach also draws on the personal experiences of the people who brought it to life. Matsoukas, Young and Brantley incorporated their own memories of growing up and their early artistic ambitions into the story. Brantley particularly highlighted the role of his mother, who recognized his artistic potential before he became aware of it himself. That experience is reflected in the relationship between the parents and the boy in the film, where the gift represents recognition of his talent, rather than simply a new device.
Apple further expanded the story with the short film Creating the Art, published on the brand’s Instagram account, in which Brantley shows the process behind the creation of the artwork used in the campaign.
