House of 8 Media

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

“Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962), one of America’s greatest literary voices, wrote his verses while living on Carmel Point with views of the mystical Point Lobos and the Santa Lucia Mountains. Using granite stones quarried from the beach below, Tor House and his 40-foot Hawk Tower still stand watch over the Pacific in Carmel, now designated a National Historic Landmark. With his own hands, Jeffers crafted Hawk Tower “with more direct intelligence per square inch than any other house in America” and wrote timeless themes in his poetry honoring the wholeness of life.

“Stones in the Sky” is our small tribute to that spirit—to the way Jeffers saw beauty not in man’s dominance over nature, but in our surrender to it. His words and his life remind us that creativity can be a form of devotion, and that art, like stone, endures.” -Brittney Buffo

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

STONES IN THE SKY for the ROBINSON JEFFERS TOR HOUSE FOUNDATION

It was an honor for us to be entrusted by Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts, President of the Tor House Foundation, to create a film to invite those who may be unaware of the significance of Robinson Jeffers and Tor House—whether tourists, locals or students—to visit Tor House and step back in time to experience the richness of the lives of Una and Robinson Jeffers, the beauty and relevance of the poetry of Robinson Jeffers, and how important both are in the cultural history of Carmel, California. Commissioned in November 2024, we spent the spring of 2025 capturing historical reenactments and landscapes, and completed editing in September 2025, just in time for the Tor House Centennial Celebration.

The film was written and directed by Brittney Buffo, who also oversaw costuming and the delicate process of securing and integrating archival photographs. Her husband, Mike Buffo, served as Director of Photography, supervising post-production and conducting the final polish. Editing was led by our longtime collaborator, Jules Hart, who has been cutting films with us since 2014. Our trusted post-production team returned from Condor Canyon: Tim Layaban on color and Russell Mehringer of NPAL Audio on sound mix, ensuring the film carried the same visual and sonic richness.

Narration was brought to life through the voice of legendary local talent, Taelen Thomas as Jeffers himself, with local actors Vincent Cardinale and Justine Stock embodying Robinson and Una in staged reenactments. Together, the performances, visuals, and archival materials weaves a story not just of stone and sea, but of the enduring spirit of two lives that shaped Carmel’s cultural landscape.

Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts, President, Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation

“YOU NAILED IT! Just beautifully done in every respect—the narrative flow, the cinematography, the music, the story line. It’s a gem. The image of Una, barefoot, frolicking at ocean’s edge while Robin, in his boots, stands on the dune….the way the image of the real-life Una and Robin replaces the actors as they sit in front of the stones on the Tor…the boys’ boots, shoelaces untied. The attention to detail is remarkable, and the performances, imagery, and narration bring the legacy of Robinson and Una Jeffers to life. Kudos to Brittney as Director and Mike as Cinematographer.”

– Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts