Today we’d like to introduce you to RayneFR.
RayneFR, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was introduced to art by the friends I made when I moved to Stone Mountain. I took a liking to write more than anything and would write stories or draw up characters and comic panels and include friends as characters in the story to encourage them to read and provide feedback, as well as provide interesting characters for the audience.
By the end of high school, I’d delved into video and film editing, portrait based art for my area of concentration, poetry, screenwriting, and thanks to one of my brothers, I got a taste of making music.
I did realize that I wasn’t sure if being a writer was for me, so I sought out an alternative to the novel format, music, film, comics, etc. but the thing that inspired me most was the Kingdom Hearts series. I realized a video game could tell the story of a deep narrative while giving people the ability to feel immersed in a life that isn’t their own. I enlisted in the military, did my time, and am now a student game designer with a passion for producing the music that will go with the games I create.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
A lot of the struggles were internal, to be honest. Trying to overcome insecurities as an artist is something that most will pretend is inconsequential, since most artists use their pain to paint, but especially when I was in the military, away from friends family and inspiring art, there were times where I could feel like I was losing that connection to my own artistic self. I was fortunate enough that the friends I made stayed in contact and constantly motivated me to keep working. Since then, most obstacles come in one form or another. Financial stress, self-doubt, overworked without enough time, or anything else you can think of, but I’ve been focused on keeping the mind in a good place and I just add the obstacles to my art whenever they pop up nowadays.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Summerland Society is something I felt I needed when I was growing up. A place where a musician and a photographer can sit down with a game designer and a media illustrator and create concepts from start to finish that encourages everyone to bring what they do best to the table and whatever they’re willing to try should be brought as well.
Although it is, as of right now, still a very new and very quiet company, the people who make up Summerland Society are some of the most multi-talented people I’ve met. Many of them incorporate various mediums into their own personal art style and are always looking to expand outward. When we are reached out to for work like commissions or music work, people trust us to provide something they’ve never seen or heard but something that connects to what they feel.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a book worm for sure, but also pretty tough, since it’s hard to be a book worm in the Bronx if you can’t defend yourself. Once I started really reading books like Harry Potter, I was constantly checking books out of the library at school. One of my old schools would give rewards for the three students in the school who read the most and completed these online quizzes for each book, and I would be in my class taking quiz after quiz for hours at a time with a stack of books I’d finished reading.
I’m definitely best described as most people’s big brother in one way or another. I’m protective of people I care about, but I believe in letting everyone live and learn on their own journey, which I think is why I’ve managed to build up such deep and everlasting friendships. I also love healthy cooperative competition, so I tend to work with others who have a desire to succeed simply because I enjoy working with others as motivated and excited as I am and I especially enjoy seeing someone’s personal “spark” ignite for the first time or grow brighter over time.
I’m also a Batman fan, but everyone knows that…
Contact Info:
- Email: redraynefr@gmail.com
- Instagram: Raynefr
Image Credit:
Ronnie G, Alex T
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