On August 6th Maxim launched the live-streaming dating competition show Quartship on our Youtube and Facebook social channels.
When you watch Quartship you can expect the unexpected. Contestants compete by shedding their cool and tapping into their charm, all while putting everything on the line in an effort to impress their social media crush.
Think of Quartship is part speed dating, part daring romance and part talent show, all rolled into one thoroughly entertaining experience.
Here’s how it works: The series format contains a featured “Crush” who is courted by three contestants. Those contestants are given 48 hours advance notice to prepare their “Approach”—a one-minute opportunity to set themselves apart from one another and captivate the Crush with their creativity, talents, and personality.
Once each contestant has completed an “Approach,” the Crush will grade them based on three factors: creativity; impact; and attraction. The winner is determined by which contestant has the highest overall average score.
The Crush and winner are then invited on a Quartship-designed virtual date experience. Highlights and the Crush’s live feedback will then be featured on an upcoming episode.
Quartship was developed during the Covid-19 quarantine and is produced by Condreal TV, founded by Jeff Watkins, show creator and executive producer. Previously Watkins created and produced Zoe Saldana Presents: My Hero for AOL Studios, as well as the upcoming action-thriller feature film, Isolated Victim.
Watkins partners with producer Will Bradford, who heads the creative shop “Creating Articulate Reach,” which he founded after a five-year turn as Sr. Director of Marketing & Creative Strategy for The Player’s Tribune.
Asked about the motivation for creating Quartship, Watkins explained: “While conventional dating came to a halt due to COVID, and the competitive spirit of sports were cancelled, I wanted to create innovation utilizing live digital technology.”
“I wanted to bring something engaging, dynamic, and fun via a dating show/competition experience,” Watkins continued, “All while tapping into the ‘old-school’ flavor of chivalry and courtship.”
Quartship is live-streamed, and through tech designed by Watkins, multiple people can be on screen at a time. Nothing is staged—unlike other dating shows and competitions.
The show caters to 20 to 30-something digital natives, the “selfie generation.” Young adults who have grown up in a tech-savvy, progressive and connected world—an audience that also respects entertainment made by Black founders at a time when society is finally waking up to the inequalities in legal and financial systems and organizations like Black Lives Matter are gaining widespread support.
Naturally, featured crushes and contestants are highly diverse and include entrepreneurs, professional models, actors, influencers and other creatives looking for love in the digital age.
The featured Crush on Quartship‘s Thursday, August 6th premiere was singer-songwriter and model Jasmine Metivier (@jasminemetivier). Metivier is best known for her film debut performance in the internationally-acclaimed Indian movie, Kumbalangi Nights.
Originally from Brooklyn, Jasmine uses her Haitian and French roots to propel her creative and entrepreneurial pursuits.
The three contestants vying for a chance to win the competition and go on a virtual date with Metivier were entrepreneur EJ Akins (@ejmonstar), dancer and martial artist Ohiole Dibua (@ohioledibua) and comic Sa’Shel Del (@sashel_del).
Each man brought his A-game, presenting Jasmine with a 60-second pitch to win her affection as well as bragging rights over a virtual date with the beautiful Metivier.
In the end, it was EJ Akins’s creative and thoughtful approach, genuine smile, and his overall vibe that stole Metivier’s heart and landed Akins as the winner of the competition.
Akins’ entrepreneurial spirit has led him to start three businesses, all of them directed at supporting distinct lifestyles and brands. He lives in Long Beach, CA, and when he is not working on his craft and thinking of creative ways to generate wealth, he loves gardening, going to the beach, hiking, and fishing. EJ says he finds joy in designing and creating artistic gifts for family and friends and working in his family restaurant is a labor of love.
Quartship will be broadcast weekly to Maxim’s 3 million Facebook followers and 250,000-strong Youtube audience plus friends and followers of the cast and crew.
Tune in to the next episode airing Thursday at 9 pm EST to see the recap of this week’s virtual date—and a new line up of talent on Quartship.
For more information, visit www.quartship.com.