What is The Creator Lab?

A diverse collective of artists have started a new kind of project called the Creator Lab.  

The Creator Lab provides a structure and deadline for creatives of many disciplines in the Melbourne area to make the work they've been putting off and care about the most. This could be a new art show, film, music EP, screenplay, new business, social venture, or any work of creative expression.

“I think we all have an inkling or tug from some force within us to create something that is authentically ours, expresses a persistent commitment we have, and makes an impact on others. This is our most important work and what you bring to the Creator Lab. ” Lionel Jackman, Founder.  

Often it's the projects we care about most, the 'risky' ideas we dream about, that we put off. Life can very quickly get in the way of these projects if we let it. 

I started The Creator Lab with the help of Pozible to allow creative people to take time back for themselves and schedule a time and a physical space to work regularly on that important work that can so easily be pushed aside for other responsibilities. 

The first Creator Lab in March this year was a great success and we want to grow the community for an even better and bigger second round which is why we started this campaign. 

We are offering two types of pledges: 

1. MEMBERSHIP PLEDGES

This is where you sign up for the 28 day creative challenge and come into the space two nights per week for the 28 days (8 total sessions) to work on your creative project towards a deadline where you will release an early version of your work for audience feedback, this could take a number of forms : 

MOVING IMAGE

• A screening of a rough cut or draft concept of a film 
• A recording or live performance of a new theatre work

WRITING

• A table reading for a screen play 
• Submission of a short story into a festival

VISUAL ARTS

• A new range of drawings or paintings for a small showcase

MUSIC

• A new music recording or
• Live performance

BUSINESS

• An early product prototype which you test on a user for feedback

We know that 28 Days is a short amount of time to create a new body of work but we want you to focus on producing a higher quantity of rough work rather than trying to get something perfect completed in the challenge.

It's called the Creator Lab for a reason, we want you to experiment, to play, to discover. 

It's been proven that if you focus on just making and process while still keeping your mind on your deadline, you'll build greater creative confidence and more refined work in the long term. 

ALL MEMBERSHIP PLEDGES INCLUDE: 

• 2 x evening working sessions per week (8 total for the 28 days) in the Pozible warehouse space, Collingwood VIC. 
• Access to benchspace to work on your project 
• Small amount of storage (talk to us about your requirements)
• 1 on 1 time with the creative coaches to help clarify your creative project and direction
• An online community hub to keep you inspired and accountable
• Opportunity to showcase your work at the Creator Lab Launch Party
• Internet access
• Professional coffee machine (for gold coin donation) 
• A great communtiy and fun environment!

2. INVESTOR PLEDGES

This is a pledge for all those that want to be involved but you can't make it to the physical space for the sessions. 

All Investor Pledges will have their name posted up on our founding investors board and will experience a range of rewards from invites to our screenings/showcase nights, social events, through to producer credits on artwork, to the founder, Lionel Jackman coming to your house or location of choice to cook you dinner for two with a selected special creative performance! 

TIMES & DATES

For our initial target of 20 creatives, we will run two sessions per week, from 6:30pm - 9:30pm Monday & Tuesday nights (to commence late July, early August, exact date TBC). 

We've found it works to clump the two nights together in the week back to back as you build momentum from the first to the second night. Also we are choosing Mondays because it's when you are most fresh to start your creative work. 

We get everyone together for a social night out at a restaurant or bar the week before to get everyone introduced and sharing what they want to create. 

After the 28 Day Challenge, we host a launch party to celebrate where you'll have the opportunity to showcase your work in it's early stage for feedback, this can act as your deadline or some other external event or submission date. 

Showcases and social events will typically be on a Friday night. 

If we exceed our target and get up to 40 creatives join, then we could open up more weeknight evening sessions.

COACH LED SESSIONS

A creative coach will be facilitating short evening sessions around several topics throughout the 28 days: 

• Goal setting
• Let's Collaborate
• How to market your work effectively
• Fun activities designed to free up your creativitiy!

INDUSTRY MENTORS UPGRADE

For the Mentor Upgrade pledge, you will receive 1 on 1 phone session with an industry mentor in your specific discipline, to help you progress forward with your short term goals in the challenge and longer term aspirations. 

This option is for those creatives that really want to cause the fastest results in the shortest amount of time.   

Many creatives have asked for this option and we see it as an important element for you to connect with someone that has achieved some of the success you hope to achieve in progressing your creative ambitions. These mentors are professionals that we know from our network that are willing to pass on wisdom and insights they've gained from working in their respective industries. To get yourself a Creator Lab Mentor, you'll just need to select the Mentor Upgrade pledge and we'll get you setup with them to create your strategy for the challenge and beyond. 

Some of our mentors we've worked with in the past have had successul TV commissions, launched albums, showcased artshows, and more. 

ONGOING MEMBERSHIPS

We will be offering ongoing memberships for all those creatives that want to continue to develop their work and make use of the space and the community after the 28 Day challenge  (DETAILS COMING SOON) 

We need at least 20 creatives to really build on the ground work we did in the first Creator Lab. 

We had 7 creatives for the first one and we changed the way people create their work, know themselves as artists, and inspired new creative expressions that weren't going to happen. This time, we want to take this to a whole new level. 

Creative Commons Material Used ;

Icons made by Freepik & Madebyoliver from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY

Music used in videos under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 & Attribution 3.0  

Scott Buckley 'Air' 

Kai Engel 'Brooks' 

Nheap 'Gradients'