The Chicago visual artist contributes his work to the new Apple short film promoting the MacBook Neo.
ByJaelani Turner-Williams
November 13, 2026
Hebru Brantley reawakens his artistic childhood in new Apple holiday short film The Dreamer.
Released Thursday (Nov. 12), the nearly four-minute short from director Melina Matsoukas (and shot by Arrival and Selma cinematographer Bradford Young) follows a boy whose early years are filled with drawings and technicolor visions, until a world that seeks to push out imagination makes his passion fade.
The boy’s parents give him the gift of a MacBook Neo, which motivates him to sketch, create storyboards and animate a superhero character.
Brantley, the Chicago-born artist who created each artwork in the short, described the visual as having a personal connection with his upbringing. He’s also seen in “Creating the Art,” a behind-the-scenes project that takes viewers into the pieces from The Dreamer.
“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,” Brantley said in press materials. “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.”
In colors Silver, Blush, Citrus and Indigo, the MacBook Neo is available to purchase here.
