‘Elio’ trailer: Boy meets alien BFF in Pixar’s sci-fi movie
A lonely 11-year-old boy dreams of being abducted by aliens and winds up on a spaceship in Pixar’s animated sci-fi comedy “Elio.”
- FAMU alumna Brianna Grant contributed her graphic design talents to the Pixar film “Elio.”
- Grant interned with Pixar through an HBCU fellowship program and was later brought onto the “Elio” production team.
- Her work included designing conceptual key art and the alien language.
- Grant encourages aspiring artists to consistently share their work and be intentional.
Ever since Brianna Grant was a little girl, she loved to draw.
But the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University alumna says her 8-year-old self would have never imagined reaching the point of contributing her artistic talents to animations in the recently released Pixar film “Elio.”
“Even just saying it out loud is very crazy to me,” Grant, a 28-year-old Orlando native and freelance graphic designer, told the Tallahassee Democrat Wednesday. “I’ve always done arts and crafts, and I always got awards for them in elementary school, middle school and high school. But since it came so naturally to me, I never really thought of it as a gift of mine.”
Released in theaters June 20, the sci-fi comedy “Elio” is the latest Pixar animated adventure to explore friendship, loneliness and the importance of human connection. It follows an 11-year-old boy – voiced by Filipino and African American actor Yonas Kibreab – who desperately wants to be abducted by aliens. He winds up going on an intergalactic adventure.
“It was very emotional to see (this movie) playing in real time,” Grant said. “Watching it made me feel proud, seen, heard, appreciated and acknowledged, but mostly happy to be reminded that hard work pays off.”
Grant entered Valencia College in Orlando in 2017 before transferring to FAMU in 2019, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design in 2021 through the university’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication – commonly known as J-School.
With over three years of experience as a freelance graphic designer, Grant’s work has included collaborating with brands like Pixar as well as Beats by Dre, the NBA Phoenix Suns and the NBA G League.
Recently, Grant designed a snapback hat for the Phoenix Suns during a Black Excellence Night in February, which was handed out to 5,000 fans on a first come, first serve basis. She also does other freelance work in product design and marketing.
Grant says she tries to align herself with brands that help with storytelling while also bringing awareness to culture and advocating for HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities).
“Whenever I’m creating, I always want to pay tribute to little me,” Grant said. “A lot of times, I get overwhelmed, stressed and intimidated when I’m creating something, but I try to remember in those moments that the opportunity would not present itself if I wasn’t ready. All I have to do is make the art exist first, and make it look good later. That really helps me take the pressure off.”
A ‘really rewarding’ Pixar experience
Before transferring to FAMU from Valencia College, Grant’s major was healthcare administration. But realizing her true passion for art, she changed her major to graphic design – a decision that she says ended up being the best thing she did.
“If I never did that, a lot of the opportunities I had the ability to be a part of would have never happened,” Grant said. “When I got to FAMU, I never thought the art I did was something that people who looked like me did as well. Just being welcomed, being able to explore that and being able to let it manifest itself and translate into something beautiful was really rewarding for me throughout college.”
After graduating from FAMU – and applying for every opportunity she could find – Grant was selected to join an HBCU fellowship in Los Angeles, California, where she partnered with Pixar as an art intern. It was toward the end of her internship that the Disney-owned animation company decided to add her to the production team for the film “Elio.”
Grant started helping with the film in 2021 for about a year, and her artwork was incorporated into the final version of the film’s animation.
Besides working on conceptual key art for the movie – which involves creating 2D illustrations and digital media art that impact how the film is interpreted by the general audience – Grant also helped create the alien language spoken in the film, which required working with sound waves to make the dialect abstract and original.
“It was a really challenging process, but also really rewarding,” Grant said. “It allowed me to exercise my brain and dive into being more creative as I trusted the process through and through.”
One of the individuals at FAMU who played a significant role during Grant’s collegiate journey in graphic design was Alicia Hope, a SJGC instructor. When Hope found out Grant worked on a Pixar film, she says it was a “full circle moment” – especially when seeing her name in the movie’s ending credits.
“It’s so amazing watching Brianna flourish in her craft as a creative,” Hope told the Democrat. “As a student, she was thoughtful, curious and always brought a unique perspective to the table. She wasn’t afraid to explore bold ideas. This is such an incredible achievement for her, and I’m beyond proud.”
Grant encourages anyone out there pursuing a successful career in art or graphic design to always post their content so that their work is being seen by others, because “you never really know who’s watching.”
“Be consistent, and be intentional,” Grant said. As for her next steps, she plans to work on some personal projects as she continues to network and expand her brand. “You have to stay ready so that you don’t have to get ready.”
The Pixar movie “Elio,” is currently only playing in movie theaters. To watch, individuals can check local cinemas AMC Tallahassee 20 and CMX Cinemas Fallschase for showtimes.
Tarah Jean is the higher education reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, a member of the USA TODAY Network – Florida. She can be reached at tjean@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @tarahjean_.