LOS ANGELES—Dedicating himself to improving his skills every day in search of a repeat victory in the Best Animated Short category, Kobe Bryant reportedly hit the video editing bay Tuesday to work on defending his Academy Award win for Dear Basketball. “I’m trying to stay on top of my game, so I start every day at 6 a.m. and just lock myself in the film room,” said Bryant, explaining that getting older has forced him to rely less on driving all-day shoots and more on perfect cuts and precise transitions. “A lot of guys think winning an Oscar is all about directing and flashy shots, but spending hours studying tape in the editing bay is just as important—that’s how you contend for a trophy year after year. Some people are satisfied winning once, but I won’t be satisfied until I’ve won five or six more Academy Awards.” At press time, Bryant was threatening to move to another production studio if ownership didn’t meet his demands for a new assistant director.

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