It’s been a long time coming… but here it is.
This short film really means something to me. It was my baby - I sat with it, stressed over it, cried over it (a couple times)… and still found a way to lock in and manage it all. To Be Loved is inspired by my life, but also all of yours. Because we all experience love - whether it’s platonic or romantic, it takes us through the same stages: The spark. Comfort. Descent. & Rebirth. It’s a cycle. One we go through over and over again.
Just think about it, when you have a crush, how do you feel? When you’re comfortable with someone, when they become your safe space… how do you feel? And when things fall apart, when you’re arguing, hurting, trying to understand it all… how do you feel?
There are so many answers. But what ties it all together is love.
It always starts one way… and somehow it changes. And after everything, you’re left with yourself again. It’s inevitable.
I could go on and on, but just know - this film is a piece of that.
—
Quickly want to give a big thank you to God first and foremost, my mom, my pops, my grandma, my siblings, and my amazing team who helped bring my vision to life - but more importantly, brought more love and light into my life. You guys truly rock. This is something I will never forget. 🫂
—
Directed, Produced, Edited: @nat.oreus (@nathaleearroyo )
Featuring: @sahxboogie@xo.linay@iammike_harris@iamthefamousak47@lluv_angelys
Photography: @jackfromnova_1
PA & Model Coordinator: @mayagr333n
Wardrobe courtesy: @waretowearresale
Currently exhibited at @attheyards
So! Here’s how we did it!
TBL was a 3 day shoot. I didn’t have ANY studio space for the winter - I asked around a lot, but no one replied or studio space was full so I put that on the back burner… then I was thinking about how Jack and I needed some assistance with the shoot given all the components I had in mind - that’s when I met Maya and she agreed to come on board with 3 weeks left before the shoot. Remember I said I didn’t have any studio space? Well Maya offered hers right away - an angel from above fr!
For our shoot, we started with act 1, moved over to act 3 and ended with act 2 - reason being? Lighting. Had to work with what we had. It’s insane because doing so much DIY and creating without all the fancy equipment people rely on really humbles you… but it also makes the process more meaningful. The challenges force creativity, and that kind of magic can’t be replicated…
I hope you enjoy ❤️
ACT III — REBIRTH
——
Even after everything, you’re left with yourself.
No distractions.. no pretending.. just you
sitting with what happened and figuring it out.
It doesn’t feel like strength at first. It feels quiet, uncomfortable.
But slowly you start again. Not the same, but something new.
(The girl can represent a younger version of anyone who can relate - regardless of gender.)
Here, she’s not who she was before.. she’s starting over. Rebirthing.
Under the cloth that once represented love, she becomes an embryo..
learning herself from the beginning and becoming something even better.
TO BE LOVED. ❤️
——
Creative Direction & Post-Production: @nat.oreus (@nathaleearroyo )
Photography: @jackfromnova_1
Production Assistant & Model Coordination: @mayagr333n
Models: @lluv_angelys@sahxboogie@xo.linay@iamthefamousak47@iammike_harris
Wardrobe Courtesy: @waretowearresale
Currently exhibited at @attheyards
#TOBELOVED #ActIII #REBIRTH #EDITORIAL #NATOREUS
ACT II — DESCENT
——
At some point, things shift.. you stop seeing eye to eye.. arguments happen - it’s inevitable.
Instead of facing the problem together, you start going against each other.
(The models are styled to look perfect, like nothing’s wrong.. like everything’s still okay - it’s not.)
The cloth reveals the truth: what once connected them
now blinds them.
——
Creative Direction & Post-Production: @nat.oreus (@nathaleearroyo )
Photography: @jackfromnova_1
Production Assistant & Model Coordination: @mayagr333n
Models: @sahxboogie@xo.linay@iamthefamousak47@iammike_harris@lluv_angelys
Wardrobe Courtesy: @waretowearresale
Currently exhibited at @attheyards
#TOBELOVED #ActII #HEARTBREAK #EDITORIAL #NATOREUS
ACT I — COMFORT
——
It’s not as loud as before… no more overthinking every little thing - no more trying to be perfect.
You just exist with them… and somehow that feels better than anything else.
Comfort is that shift:
when love stops feeling uncertain and starts feeling safe.
——
Creative Direction & Post-Production: @nat.oreus (@nathaleearroyo )
Photography: @jackfromnova_1
Production Assistant & Model Coordination: @mayagr333n
Models: @iammike_harris@iamthefamousak47@sahxboogie@xo.linay@lluv_angelys
Full Wardrobe Courtesy: @waretowearresale
Currently exhibited at @attheyards
#TOBELOVED #ActI #COMFORT #LOVE #NATOREUS
ACT I — THE SPARK
——
It’s weird how it starts. Nothing big happens, but somehow everything feels different. You look at them one day and it just clicks and you don’t even know why.
The Spark is that exact feeling:
the first moment you realize this might mean something more.
——
Creative Direction & Post-Production: @nat.oreus (@nathaleearroyo )
Photography: @jackfromnova_1
Production Assistant & Model Coordination: @mayagr333n
Models: @sahxboogie@xo.linay@iammike_harris@iamthefamousak47@lluv_angelys
Full Wardrobe Courtesy: @waretowearresale
Currently exhibited at @attheyards
#TOBELOVED #ActI #TheSpark #VisualStorytelling #NATOREUS
