Besides his vegan food and fashion ventures, Lewis Hamilton has also entered the entertainment sector with his own production company named ‘Dawn Apollo Films’. Under his banner, Hamilton has already kickstarted multiple projects including a feature film on F1 starring Brad Pitt.
The seven-time World Champion once stated that his passion for storytelling in movies, along with the influence of Kobe Bryant’s production company, inspired him to launch Dawn Apollo Films. In a podcast with Jay Shetty, Hamilton mentioned his love for watching movies and how it has fueled his passion for understanding the nuances of storytelling in multimedia.
He’s a business, man: @LewisHamilton launches film & TV company “Dawn Apollo Films”
Already in the works are two projects with Apple TV+: an untitled Formula One racing film starring Brad Pitt; and a feature docu on Hamilton’s own journey.#F1 (@DEADLINE) pic.twitter.com/71VZaVGuDP
— Vincenzo Landino (@vincenzolandino) October 25, 2022
“I started this production company inspired by Kobe and so many are there. Stories for me, storytelling, I watch a lot of movies,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton highlighted that he often watches movies during his free time. He can’t even start eating until he’s found something to watch — a quirk that many people can probably relate to.
Hamilton’s inspiration from Bryant’s production house came naturally, given the success of the NBA legend’s ‘Granity Studios.’ Founded in 2013, the studio produced the animated short film ‘Dear Basketball’ in 2017, which went on to win an Academy Award.
Hamilton certainly aspires to create inspiring and creative content that receives acclaim from both fans and critics of his company. In addition to the F1 feature film, the Briton is also working on a documentary that chronicles his journey to the pinnacle of motorsport.
The 39-year-old wants to ensure that his story serves as an inspiration to many other black people wanting to make it big in a sport of their liking.
Hamilton’s push for diversity
Having talked about it at length, Hamilton is now taking active steps towards diversity and inclusion in motorsport and every industry he is a part of — fashion, education, or entertainment.
He told Shetty that there was a lack of people of color as superheroes until recently, pointing out the absence of diversity and representation in multimedia.
Hamilton would aim to bridge that gap and bring a balance to the industry with more people of color as characters in his production ventures. Understandably, he would want it to be natural and creatively stimulating rather than a cosmetic exercise.
Hamilton is a big influence for children nowadays and many look up to him as an icon in the sporting world. So, he would like to set the right example via his what he does outside F1 and have an impact on their thought process as well on these serious issues of diversity and inclusion.
