“A misconception between wants and needs,” LaQuinton “GQu3” Battle says at the start of his 14-minute long “Lust For Life,” short film.
“I know I want you. I know I need you, but how do I separate the two? Ready to risk it all for something I think is love. Damn, is it love? Sometimes you just need that reminder.”
The film, shot and directed by cinematographer Drew “TheFilmLord” Brown, provides just the right amount of nostalgic feelings many get from classic Black romance films like “Love Jones.” Larenz Tate plays a poet in that feature, which is fitting because GQU3 is a poet and rapper.
The production includes GQu3’s flashbacks of a love lost. He realizes his current relationship doesn’t come close to his former lover. But as he reflects, he ponders on the difference between love and lust – which is what his previous connection paralleled.
“I think a lot of people get caught in the lust; thinking somebody might be the one for them,” GQu3 said.
“The whole time it may not be, but then again I still think that lust can be stronger than love. Maybe that lust can carry into something deeper going down the road.”
Brown, who prides himself on collaborating with creatives who bring “great ideas and visions to the table” was immediately drawn to GQU3’s project and agreed it aligned well with his business mantra.
“I always strive to be different with my work.” – LaQuinton “GQu3” Battle
“It’s really hard to find people who have a vision for what they want. I like using references on what they love and what they feel emotionally,” Brown said.
“When he came to me with these movie ideas, I said ‘let’s do it.’ It was important to put his spin on what he wanted and have his artistry and acting skills go hand-in-hand with each other.”
GQU3 said it was all about executing something different and stepping out of his comfort zone with his work.
“We just really wanted to do something different,” GQU3 said.
“I always strive to be different with my work. I knew I wanted TheFilmLord to shoot it because to me personally he’s the best here when it comes to actually getting certain shots that you want.”
Brown and GQU3 shot the film during the early days of the pandemic and were met with many challenges. Many locations were closed, but they were able to conclude what they call “a classic piece.”
Thanks to support through crowdfunding, Brown produced the film with monetary donations from community members.
“It was cool to do that and it was cool to see that other people that are on the outside helped me make this film,” Brown said.
“I like having as many people be a part of something as possible, while also getting the vision to where it needs to be. Putting quality where it needs to be in the city is always my goal.”
In addition to his short film, GQU3 released a spoken word six-song EP last year on Valentine’s Day titled “Vintage.” Like the production, his inspiration came from his own love life experiences.
“I knew I wanted to make a visual for it that put everything together,” GQU3 said. “I feel like the tracks were perfect.”
Brown experimented with the cinematography showcased in the film. One scene includes a light juxtaposition of red lights shining in a bedroom with purple meeting in the middle and blue lights in the hallway. He said the shadows beaming toward the bedroom are part of why he thinks the project is a classic.
“It’s really powerful for the city. Total flip of the script on what is normally seen in the art community here,” Brown said. “This film is a ‘think’ piece in itself. When you focus on what is art, you’re gonna have so many art pieces in this film.”
GQU3 said his next project, “Trapoetry,” is a combination of rap and poetry. A lot of his earlier work was mainly spoken word, but this one will showcase more storytelling and penmanship skills with rap.
“I’m leaning more toward the rap side of things now and just working on releasing more new content and music.” GQu3 said.
GQU3’s short film “Lust For Life,” can be watched on YouTube. For more information about him and his music, visit www.gqu3.com.