What can you tell us about the world that Fáros takes place in? How did you dream this up?įáros takes place in a sort of in-between world, where the human realm overlaps with another.

I decided to do a film centered around the ocean, in order to connect more with California and the beauty it had to offer. After moving to California, I felt a bit alienated by the differences in plant life and environment. As a lover of nature and fantasy, I often work with nature spirits and mythical creatures in my art. Currently, I’m attending my final semester at California Institute of the Arts. Thank you so much! I’m Rayna Buxton and I’m a filmmaker with a focus on character design and animation. Congratulations on your visually striking short, Fáros! Please briefly introduce yourself… Ori, the eternally vexed keeper of a living lighthouse, struggles through his daily chores and finds comfort in his cat, Clam. Read on to learn about how Rayna gets inspired, and how these influences fed into Fáros. The designs and animation draw from her research into the natural world, as well as influence from stop-motion animation.

Throughout the process of achieving her dynamic style, Rayna employed character design and animation techniques in Toon Boom Harmony Premium, such as rigging Ori using peg layers. The film displays elements of fantasy, myth and horror, all rolled into its short run-time. Another important theme in Fáros is burnout, which Rayna explores through the growing weariness of her protagonist, Ori. This narrative explores the symbiotic relationship between the light-house and its keeper an allegory familiar to anyone who has nurtured a project, an idea, or a living being.

Telling the tale of a light-house keeper’s struggles, this charming story showcases a strange, in-between world that draws inspiration from oceanic mysteries like the Bermuda Triangle. Fáros is an intriguing short film from Rayna Buxton an animation student, character designer and filmmaker who makes striking use of textures.

Overlay frames in harmony toon boom