“I love the idea of creative content whether it’s mythology or animation, written or film, that can inspire people and give them something tangible they can use in their own lives,” said by Bryant to Sport Illustrated in 2018. Bryant founded Granity Studios to develop his own content in order to combine his love of basketball and fantasy. Bryant had this dream and took his vision to this studio to see his dream play out. One of Granity’s earliest projects was known as “Detail” which was directed by Bryant and was meant to teach basketball in the same way that legendary Tex Winter did. As stated by Kobe “If this show existed when I was 11 or 12 years old, I believe by the age of 21, 22, I would have been a much better basketball player,” when asked by the Times in 2018.
Claimed by Kobe Bryant “Animation can capture the emotion in the story in a much more compelling, visual way than live action.” Kobe always had an interest in animation and he made the statement above to Glen Kaene. Kaene helped him to produce “Dear Basketball” which is a story based on a poem that he used to promote his retirement from basketball. The film showed him both as the basketball star he was and as a small boy. “Dear Basketball” won the Academy Award for the best animated short film and the Annie Award. After Kobe’s passing Kaene made the comment “As soon as he stepped into animation, he eagerly began soaking up every aspect of it. Working with him was a dream and one of the high points of my career.” This highlights Byant’s influence on the movie industry for his versatile ability. Byant had an eye for animation and helped Kaene to see a different perspective proving that he understands the importance of the little details that go into making a film. Kaene mentioned that it was really important to Kobe to tell a story that resonates with everyone. Byant wanted to make changes for the better and his involvement in the movie industry portrays his drive to tell a genuine, compelling story.
Bryant’s love for storytelling started when he was young. In high school, he took creative writing classes which helped strengthen his creative writing abilities and feed his interest in storytelling. Bryant studied movies such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Disney movies in order to study character development. This portrays his passion for telling stories and his drive to always do more. As said by Bryant to the Times in 2015 “to create something really different, very truthful. Cinematically, we wanted to do something that would be different from the ways documentaries are shot. This was about doing something that was fun but also honest.” Rather than writing a book Kobe saw a movie as something that gets his story out better. He never grew up an avid reader rather his talent lies in creative writing.
Bryant left a mark on the world not only because of his basketball career but also as a storyteller. This was a huge part of Bryant’s identity and should be recognized due to the amount of work he put into it. He wanted to tell a story that would touch the lives of others and he managed to do just that while still being known as the big basketball star. He had plans to get involved in a new industry several years ago and his hard work paid off. Kobe Bryant’s creative half bleeds through and should be recognized as an equally important part of his identity.