Last month BYT and Affinity Lab partnered up to offer two lab memberships to local creative entrepreneurs. Affinity Lab already doled out one membership but YOU GET TO PICK THE SECOND WINNER. Below is a list of all the pitches we received ranging from tv shows to education initiatives. Check them out and vote for the idea you want to support.

++ To learn more about the Affinity Lab and its current members: check out their website and this sweet informational video.

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Andrew Bucket: Eyes Peeled, a TV show.
My idea is for a local TV show called Eyes Peeled w/ Andrew Bucket. The show skips to-and-fro between the “real” world of Andrew Bucket in which he interviews bands, DJs, artists, freaks, and geeks….and the “imaginary” world in which absurd humor and surrealistic tom-foolery play out through sketch comedy, visual art, and music video. One may wonder: which world is which.

Sarah : The Vocalist, a website.
My idea is for a website called The Vocalist.  This would be a play-on-words titled website enabling singers to create a profile and list themselves.  Ideally people could create an account with their name, and organize themselves by style, city, etc.  The goal would be to make it simple for singers/vocalist to post brief bios/pics with links myspace or webpages or sample songs, and then when producers or bands are searching for a singer they could search by music style, city, specialties, range etc.  In my experience as a singer, it is really hard for singers and producers or bands to find each other.  So many times I meet musicians who say that they really want to work with singers but don’t know any, and vice/versa. Craigslist is pretty good but this would help to really narrow down the search.

Karl: Twisted Tidings, Greeting Cards.
I write greeting cards that cover a more awkward and real range of emotions than what you find in the card aisle of CVS: cards for people you like but just not as much as before, shag buddies, or people that you’re too insecure to lose.

I’ve shown them at artomatic and on facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home?#!/pages/Twisted-Tidings/201328515180?ref=ts ) and they get a great, visceral reaction from people.  My problem? The cards are not for everyone (some people would cry if they ever got one, and that’s not my aim aim) – but there is an audience. I’d love to work with affinity lab to figure out how to connect with the right audience.

Jerome Baker III: Better Than Yours, website.
Betterthanyours.net is the online hub of the better than yours brand.  We’ve used 2010 to expand the brand into a real world entity with stickers, mixtapes, & events.  Planning to take over the world, and the rest of the 2010 is our goal, however it’s quite difficult to do this out of a 405 sq ft apartment in NW DC.  From developing the blog, to DJing around the D.C. this is OUR year and being able to use the Affinity Lab, and all of the services it has would be a great way to enhance my brand.

Hope Lindsay: Playwright.
I am a theater teacher at the Fillmore School in D.C.  I am also a playwright.  I wrote a play and some of my actor friends have been helping me out as we workshop the play right now, which means we meet each week to read the script.  This helps, as the script continues to evolve.  My plan is to mount it in May at a local theater.  It takes money to produce the play, even if the actors will work for free.  I could really use some assistance in this endeavor.

Lindsay Hart: Bored of Trade, Creative Collective.
Bored of Trade is a collective of 6 artists, designers and retail experts looking to jump start their creative careers through website development, retail sales and event planning.  The group started as a basement retail outlet and art and music performing space and would like to transition the idea into a career for the 6 of us.  We are planning two events in March, an art opening and a craft fair, and would love to have a production, planning and meeting space at our fingertips.  Please visit our blog through our homepage www.boredoftrade.com or our facebook group http://tinyurl.com/yzzlazn

Carolyn Butcher: The School Life of DC, Adult Education
Where would entrepreneurs, small business owners, & budding professionals go to fulfill their needs for personal and professional development and gain the needed skills to excel in business and in life?  The School of Life DC - Where adult learning is an imperative!  Don’t have an Human Resources or Learning & Development Department?  With hyper-focus on the bottom line, the company just isn’t investing in people development in this way.  Come to The School – a community of creative lifelong learners committed to the study, teaching, and sharing of talents and knowledge of “how to” thrive in business and live an inspired, fulfilling life in this great world city.  We offer learning events such as classes, workshops and retreats on all things that matter and interest us most: culture, work, play, health, balance, business, relationships, language, creativity, philosophy, daily living, and more. It’s like Learn-A-Palooza all year round.  I am  the Principal guided by The School Board and staffed with gifted teachers (Faculty) from DC’s creative and super talented class.  I have the domain name, I’ve filed for the trademark.  I just need the space and collaboration of other like-minds to make it happen. Not going to happen in my kitchen from the table… alone.

Kristina Gray and Maegan Wood:FLDC, Empowering Women and Communities through DJing.
FLDC Squared brings innovative DJ workshops and lessons to individuals, groups, and community spaces. We provide hands-on training and a supportive environment that fosters creativity, community-building, and arts education. Through the use of DJ techniques, technology and culture, and with a special focus on women and girls, FLDC Squared seeks to turn the tables and break the vinyl ceiling.

Ambessa Jir: Ya Ya Ya, Feature Film.
Ya Ya Ya . . . is a new up coming feature film that follows the day to day life and dramas of a DMV creative, a Poet, a Musician, and a Photograph.  Following the successful launch of the web-series www.habeshaLife.com, the Howard University MFA graduate and director Ambessa Jir Berhe realized that DC deserved a more in depth story to explore the multicultural and dynamic nature of the local arts and culture scene.  The film will portray the external happenings and the internal struggles and triumphs of DC’s art community and the artist himself.

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