How Long? Hadestown Animatic

Do I need to describe how much do I love this song? Wanted to make this animatic for a while now and suprisingly done it very fast in the last few weeks.
First I didn't wanna do How Long? because my ideas were very similar to those of other amazing animatics I saw and I didn't think there was a point in making something that was already done nicely by other artists. But then I figured out how I wanted the scene to look like so there'd be something new. I hope you'll enjoy my vision of the song as much as I enjoyed making this animatic!
Btw, it all started with this rough storyboard that I also posted: • How Long from Hadestow...
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/omys...
Tumblr: / alyona11
Twitter: / ohmystars19
Insta: @narvinisanangrypenguin
VK: omystars
RedBubble: www.redbubble....

[@cheshireshadow518]

The fact he's HURT when she says "your underworld" aaaAAA "mine? its not ours anymore?" rip in pepperoni. this was GORGEOUS

[@ohmystars1774]

Oh sure he's hurt! She's denying their shared responsibility :( And by extention imo he thinks she's denying him. Thank you!

[@jacknapier280]

the way he looks so sad whenever she's not looking... bro i'm keeling over

[@ohmystars1774]

He tries to act like he doesn't care, but he cares a lot :c

[@Alliecatastrophe]

will never get over the symbolism of persephone looking towards the sun like something warm and hopeful while hades looks at it with fear and apprehension of how bright and blinding it is, ugh, the storytelling

[@fabulousmyriad267]

Exactly! Plus in some versions of the original myth, Apollo the sun god noticed Persephone's abduction and tattled to Zeus & Demeter forcing the 6 month marriage deal.

[@johnmartin4119]

I have a theory of how Hades and Persephone drifted apart. In the original myths Persephone was known to be sympathetic to the dead and those looking to save the dead, but sadly not every hero that came to the underworld or wanted to leave had good intentions, such as the myth of Sisyphus who manipulated Persephone into freeing him or Pirithos who tried to take Persephone away from Hades. So in this musical maybe Persephone’s presence equally threatened the order of Hadestown and thus Hades became more protective of his kingdom and bride, turning Persephone’s marriage into a prison sentence and turning the River Styx into a Wall of Bricks

[@ohmystars1774]

Hah, it's an interesting theory!

[@VeWatchesVideos]

I really love the depiction of Hades and Persephone in this story. What always strikes me about Hadestown is how obvious it is (especially in the finalized version) how much these two still love each other, arguably too much. If you'd ask them, in a world where anything was possible, whether they'd want to divorce or save their marriage, both would probably immediately say "I want to fix things", except they have no idea how. They are what Orpheus and Eurydice likely would've been in twenty years; people who just make impossible promises, don't communicate, just go off to do what they think is good for the other and express their frustrations in petty, toxic ways. The grand irony of Hadestown is that while Orpheus and Eurydice's young, earnest love inspires Hades and Persephone to actually put in the work to improve their relationship, Orpheus and Eurydice's love ultimately lacks the same trust and foundation they themselves have. Hades is willing to trust that Persephone will come back to him and the story ends implying that their bond will be mended over time. Orpheus doesn't trust that Eurydice has followed him out of the Underworld (even though Hermes, likely with Hades's approval, beats it into his head that it's a test of trust and not a trick) and loses her forever.

[@ohmystars1774]

This is a really well-put analysis

[@andrewlassen7430]

When you think about it, everyone is asking Hades to give the pity he never got. The man is exiled from his family, denied worship on the mortal plane from fear, and when he finally gets happiness in Persephone it's taken away so the world can continue to move on. The world turns based on his misery and isolation. Then when he has his wife in his realm she's going with protest, telling him how much she no longer loves him, and basically spending the entire time vocally counting down the time until she can leave him. Embracing her happiness through his misery. Then everyone asks Hades to return Eurydice to Orpheus, because his mortal sorrow is somehow more tragic than his immortal sorrow.

[@pedromiret9195]

This song essentially depicts two people who deeply love each other just be crushed by despair regarding how their spouse just refuses to listen to their pain and what they really need/miss from their relationship, while not listening themselves. Hades made unlife a living hell for the sake of making his realm of shadow into a beacon of light that would eclipse that of the overworld, failing to realize what is it that she loves about it. He´s renouncing his original ways and betraying the nature of his realm in order to keep her with him. This alienates Persephone, and harms their people, ultimately achieving nothing. Persephone is casting off Hades, flaking on him for failing to be a being of the living, as well as scorning him for twisting his realm of shadow into a mockery of light. She wants to spark life in the hearts of the dead, mostly in an effort to ignore the fact that she´s stuck there. They both ignore each other´s needs, overcompensate in every non-productive way, and tear the realms of the living and the dead apart in their struggle. Quite a fitting dynamic for a pair of Greek deities. This IS a tragedy after all. Hopefully, the incoming spring they´ll spend apart, might help them gain a little perspective. Inmortals have nothing but time, after all.

[@wynnefox]

One of the things that get me with the lyrics is about the Sun. Because part of the story that isn't really said in Hadestown is Hades was jealous of Apollo, the God of the Sun and Persephone worked with him. All Hades saw was how everyone loved and worshiped Apollo, even his wife spent half her time in his light. So they seemingly adapted that in this story. Hades industralized, brought heat and neon lights to simulate what Apollo does on the overworld. But Persephone hates it. Hades doesn't understand that she wants away from Apollo and wants the cool steady comfort of Hades' embrace. The foundational strength and security that only the God of the underworld can give. Time away from the light and the heat to rest and feel the trueness of love. Something Apollo is incapable of.

[@paraklasdespoite3858]

Thats actually a very interesting theory! Do you happen to have a source where I could read up on this myself?

[@AprilShowers560]

Amazing, insightful and thoughtful comment. From my classical studies, I understood that Apollo and Hades were given a choice to choose their kingdoms and Apollo was a bit indecisive. Hades, in a practice of reverse psychology, chose what he thought was the least attractive of the two choices so as to make Apollo want that. It worked against him. Apollo, instead of throwing a tantrum and asking Zeus to intercede, accepted his position happily and Hades was stuck with the underworld. Thus Hades tried to make the underworld s similar to Apollo’s realm as he could but failed miserably.

[@BasedSuccuboi]

The line "Nothing comes of the songs people sing however sorry they are" and hades expression makes me feel like he really does feel bad and blames himself that persephone has to abandon her life on the surface to be his wife, he truly loves her and wants her to be happy, like he know she suffers for their love and that's why he tries to replace the light and the warmth through artificial means. He's trying his best guy's hes just a big dummy 😭

[@theshockinglyeloquentdog9945]

Hades really just a man 😔😭

[@reagan__haddix]

Every new How Long animatic is so pretty because every artist interprets it so differently! This is awesome! 💙

[@ohmystars1774]

Yeah, I love seeing different interpretations! Thank you!

[@brammuller8416]

I love the way you show that all that hades wants is the love of his wife and all he does is for her even if she doesn’t understand his way of love

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you! The man is super bad at expressing in direclty to her :(

[@sealbatross]

OH MY GOF I JUST WOKE UP AND ITS HERE AND ITS BEAUTIFUL

[@alexanderthorne5366]

One dislike is emotionally recovered Hades now completely embarrassed by this

[@ohmystars1774]

HAHAHAHA this comment honestly made me laugh so hard, thank you xD

[@erinlaboricua]

3:20 The expression you gave him reminds me a lot of the lyrics from "Epic II", when Orpheus sings "He thinks of his wife in the arms of the Sun", and how in "Chant" Hades tells Persephone that he built a power grid for her - like it could replace the sunlight she needs. That expression makes me think he's less afraid of the light and more so desperate and helpless because he believes she's leaving him for someone else.

[@berkleypearl2363]

Holy shit that ending. It reminded me of that tumblr poem “he looked at her like she was the sun” which is just! This is perfect and I love it!

[@ohmystars1774]

Awww I really think she is his sun, that's why he's so afraid she'll never come back. Thanks!

[@gin2012able]

LOVE THIS!!! I like the slightly different tone, presenting them both as more empathetic individuals who are just hurting and miss each other dearly, instead of the completely jaded fury in most animatics.

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you! It just always felt to me that they try to reach each other (this song included), but they just don't know how because they really messed up their relationship :(

[@moist_spinach]

I love how Hades has to cover his face from the sun. It's so cool how symbolic it is

[@lalalei2001]

I love how Hades goes from grumpy to sad towards the end!

[@ohmystars1774]

Aw, he's a sad grumpy man in the end. Thank you!

[@katiaaissaoui645]

Oh ! I just noticed something. The reason why they use the same line for Orpheus and for the sun is because Orpheus is the son of Apollo, the God of the sun and music

[@ohmystars1774]

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 never thought about that

[@sophiescribbles8504]

And the sun burns, like his heart in the pit of his chest. And in “doubt comes in” his heart falters and forgets the song it sung, so his heart is a songbird that gave hades a song like how Eurydice did, so I guess she thought right when she thought they were birds of a feather. And when Orpheus sang his song (epic 3), all the birds (the workers who probably also gave hades a song) sang along. They haven’t seen the sun in so long, but now the fire in Orpheus’s heart has them inspired again. Persephone was right when she said that the earth must die but then comes back to life. The earth may come back, but it might loose its moon, and Orpheus is the world because when his heart (which is hot because of the burning sorrow in his chest that can’t fit) is burning up, spring finally comes again because of the song that his heart forgot when it faltered in doubt comes in. Where was I going with this?? Idk but there’s probably some glaring issues that I’ll fix in reply II before the finalized reply III which I’ll show to the god of the underworld if my sister dies (I dont LOVE her but she’s helped me through a lot and I owe her the world, the actual world and not Orpheus)

[@swampghost835]

OH MY GODDDDD THIS IS INSANE you fucking NAILED their dynamic here. the yearning and pleading from both of them but also both of them completely missing what the other wants.... both of them just want the other, but neither of them know how to just ASK. god. and i loveddd what you did with the lighting and persephone dancing in the sun, and hades, when he goes to the vision of her, just runs into the sun and hugs her but when she actually tugs him into the light he has to shield his face...... jesus christ. this was gorgeous also when she was like "your underworld" and hades went "mine, huh?" i was like OH SHIT..... FUCK.. MY HEART

[@erinlaboricua]

The "Mine, huh?" is exactly why I went to the comments section before finishing watching it. I wanted to know just how many more people sobbed for that.

[@charliejones2121]

that one dislike was the door she slammed open

[@Alliecatastrophe]

ugh i love everything about this, i love how everyone animates hades being like MY underworld?? it's YOURS too if you'd STAY :((( he just misses his wife, i also love how you drew his 'nothing comes from of the songs people sing, however sorry they are' because he knows first hand, he feels that sorrow and you can really see it and i really loved how you drew him being like, afraid of the light, of the sun, it being so bright and unfamiliar to him, he's afraid to step out of the darkness now, it's just a very powerful visual, but perespone brings him anyway, ugh i love these two!!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Omg seriously seeing this comment in the morning made my day, thank you! Hah, I guess I draw Hades as secretly soft for his wife ALL THE TIME. I think on Broadway he's always going in the wrong direction that puts him away from his wife, but he just doesn't understand how to fix it, which is partly a reason for the sadness 😔 this man has only one very busy brain cell

[@Alliecatastrophe]

@@ohmystars1774 As you should!! Because he is soft for her!! He just wants to stay, he emulated things for her, lights in place of the sun, hoping that they would entice her to stay, he is bitter for being abandoned and he wants her to choose him and he is small and afraid still and he doesn't know what he can do also just wanted to say i love your expressions so much! the way they both talk/look at the sun, with her in awe and him afraid, and his face when he says 'You and your pity don't fit in my bed' it's seriously amazing how much emotion you convey!

[@Aman123ace]

that bass has no right to be so good

[@ohmystars1774]

It's true and you should say it

[@theatrekidwithinternetacce704]

PATRICK PAGE IS A GOD

[@nicolebarrett4391]

The use of light and shadow in this animatic is top tier. This song is already sad, but you've added a level of emotional evocation that is amazing. thank you.

[@--gato]

Hades' voice is so beautiful omg

[@longliveplanetawesome3223]

This was so beautiful. I haven't watched Hadestown yet (I've only listened to the soundtrack not stop for the past 2 months), but these visuals really helped me better understand the song and its role in the musical as a whole. Also, that last scene with all the colors was just ... ooh MAGNIFICENT!

[@ohmystars1774]

Awwww thank you! I'm happy you enjoyed!

[@lizziejohnson4613]

Trying so hard not to cry at work rn because of this. made it, but just barely! The “however sorry they are” Scene had my eyes watering something fierce. Fantastic job!

[@ohmystars1774]

Awww thank you!!

[@melina_0455]

OMG I really didn't expect the transition to the vibrant colouring! This was beautifully done!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@danielleveigs]

OH MY GOD WHEN IT GOES INTO COLORRRR

[@flu-shot-turned-me-gay]

damn. time for couples therapy

[@SoulQueenoD]

I love the lighting. It's so soft and warm in contrast to the cold of the world and harshness of their marriage now.

[@thaqueenlayzz_5343]

Wow their expressions! And the way Persephone her face lights up when she talks about the love between Orpheus and Eurydice! Absolutely amazing!

[@Skooberee]

I just saw the wip on tumblr like 15 minutes ago and as soon as I saw the notification I clicked

[@ohmystars1774]

Great timing :D

[@ramensremains]

Oh my god this this is everything. The lighting, the expressions, it’s all just so darn beautiful. You’ve illustrated this song so well now this animatic will be the only thing on my mind for the next 3 months.

[@starcxtcher]

the _colors_ oh my gosh, now THAT was beautiful, this whole thing was beautiful, what the _heck_ i love it

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@rottebarnethellen]

I keep coming back to this, it is seriously underrated and I can't believe it doesn't have any more views.

[@ohmystars1774]

I'm honestly really flattered you keep coming back to it, thank you! As for the views, I really didn't even expect it to go viral, so I'm happy with what I have :D

[@Duchess_of_handalore]

Agh! I love it! This is my favorite song in the whole show and you did a great job illustrating the poignancy and emotion of it 😭💖

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you! HL is certainly one of my fav songs too c:

[@melinajohansson9715]

AAAA AND THE COLOURS AAAAAAAA ITS SO GOLDEN

[@ohmystars1774]

Aww thank you for your comments!

[@amazemek]

I'm so glad you went through with your version because this is my favorite song and it looks AMAZING. I especially love how you can tell Hades is fueled by fear and loneliness, and I love how he's showing how much he grieves her loss and Persephone is like 'Bitch, i'm right here' and she pulls him up and to her world despite his fears, because despite the walls pulling them appart all they want is to be together... and you gave hades such a cute nose TvT

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you so much, that was really what I was going for! (I just love drawing Hades' nose btw :D)

[@imjustasconfusedasyou]

god your understanding of anatomy is so good omg, i love anamatics but sometimes is so hard to focus on the song/story because of the art

[@wutyouwant6549]

I did this all for you for us -hades to his love

[@janellereece2335]

THESE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE SO AMAZING OH MY GOOSSHHH

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@melinajohansson9715]

THATS SO BEAUTIFUUUUUUL

[@giu.graphic0008]

Hades voice. I just- Also, amazing work! i loved it soooo much.

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you! Yeah his voice is 👌

[@liliachav8419]

This is really amazing!! You have a wonderfull art style and can convey the emotions so well, the whole flow the animatic is great too. I love your depiction of them, I dont like when Hades is just shown as some big scary guy and you got all his worries and insecurities and EMOTIONS pinned down solid

[@schattenfellyuri3939]

The warm colors from the fire look so beautiful, it's really stunning

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@Ceciliafitz]

I am speechless this was so good! Love the expressions you put on the characters :)

[@ohmystars1774]

Omg thanks!

[@melinajohansson9715]

2.46 is a heartbreaker

[@corrieorsomething9099]

Absolutely beautiful art

[@ohmystars1774]

Thanks!

[@Friday-pn8jl]

I'M LEGIT CRYING AT THE ENDING WITH THE COLORS 😭😭😭♥️♥️♥️ You did a great job!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you! I'm happy the colors did their job! Just as planned >:) hehehe

[@emilyanose295]

This is SO well made!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you 🥺

[@croutonwu]

Love this!!!

[@cramerfloro5936]

A) this is gorgeous B) what are those squares on Hades’ left arm? They almost looklike bricks, which would make sense for him

[@ohmystars1774]

Hahaha this was supposed to be his wall tattoo, so you're right. Thank you!

[@cramerfloro5936]

@@ohmystars1774 cool!

[@elizaboof6566]

the picture at the beginning 😭😭

[@ohmystars1774]

They're sentimental enough to keep their photos ;_;

[@kay-sp4gk]

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL AND HAUNTING!! The dynamic poses and expressions are to die for

[@ohmystars1774]

Thanks UwU

[@nayeale5]

Why am I crying even more than usual? 😭😭😭 This was absolutely beautiful!

[@clairemckinley691]

This is incredible!!!! I am absolutely in love with this!!! Hell yeah!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thanks!!

[@Grace-mh4gg]

Oh my this art style is just stunning! Definitely new subscriber

[@elicaelum8379]

This is so good!!! The details on the faces are incredible!!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@dinamirm.9290]

No dislikes till now Good

[@conrad4852]

Stunningly beautiful! My thanks!

[@giselle3964]

Holy shit!!!! This turned out amazing I specially love that whole part at the end, amazing work dude!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Haha that's my fav part! Thank you!

[@dan_oyei]

this is amazing! especially the way you coloured them at the end. i literally can't put into words how much i love this animatic

[@judeb2628]

this was amazing!! its so cool seeing yet another awesome animatic for the song (giving me a reason to listen to it even more haha) truly stunning work!! the part at the end with their duet was amazing, i loved the parts with color and the light/fire reflecting off their faces in hadestown sm

[@ohmystars1774]

Their duo was my favourite part to make! Thank you!

[@umermuhnevermind8824]

This is so incredible! Beautifully done

[@ohmystars1774]

Thanks!

[@littlecereal293]

This is so good

[@mariesmeadow]

this is amazing!! the lighting is so well done!! i can’t even imagine how much effort this must have taken!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@natalieliew330]

This is absolutely amazing!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thanks for waiting!

[@carolinaperez9920]

Absolutely beautiful, incredible. You are very talented😍😍

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you! Glad you liked it!

[@abbycollins4820]

Awesome

[@oliviacyr2240]

Okay 1. This is amazing and 2. I’d love to discuss the meaning behind the phrase “how long” and what it means to the characters of anyone is down...

[@mmmmfrog6514]

P a r d o n I ‘m down :)))

[@oliviacyr2240]

Ooh really? 😁

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you! For me how long is both a question of how long have they loved each other and how long will they continue on loving each other 🤔 I'd be glad to hear your version though!

[@oliviacyr2240]

I really love that interpretation, I’ve never thought of it that way before! A part that was cut from the beginning of the song that makes the lyrics a little easier to understand: Persephone: How long have we been married? Hades: Since the world began. I just found this out and thought it was so cool and poetic!!

[@erinlaboricua]

@@oliviacyr2240 Just to piggyback on that, the Hades and Persephone myth is one of my absolute favorite love stories, but I'm a lonely sap who ruins everything for myself. After falling in love with this production, and obsessively listening to and analyzing each song, it properly struck me that Persephone is gone for half a year, right? And they are immortal beings. Which means they actually spend half of eternity apart from each other. I remembered that after reading your comment, and with that in mind, "How long?" could be how long until their marriage is fixed? "How long?" could be the question they constantly recite to themselves when they're apart, as in how long until they can be together again.

[@miriamibanez2731]

OMG it's definitely my favorite animatic of this song!! I love how you draw Hades

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you, I'm flattered!

[@katherinehanssler226]

I was completely drawn in the entire time what the heck Also the colors and lighting are beautiful!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Awww that's the best compliment, thank you!

[@sneakysnek572]

Excuse me while I *cries*

[@sumomo2236]

Gorgeous. ^_^

[@winstonpotts9776]

You made my favorite song in Hadestown even better.

[@ohmystars1774]

Awww thanks!

[@derpwithit7481]

DARN THIS IS SO AMZING AND UNDERRATED WTH

[@eh3696]

BEAUTIFUL AND IM CRYING

[@ohmystars1774]

Thanks!

[@inerciasart]

This is so expresive, I love it!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you c;

[@Ash_Norbold]

Ай, кажется моё сердце сново разбито этими двумя невозможным богами, прекрасной музыкой и восхитительный рисовкой. Пустила слезу, когда Сеф повела Аида на свет, а он его испугался. Мои дети 😭

[@ohmystars1774]

Я сама тут пока рисовала чуть ли не рыдала 😭 спасибо!

[@raenahunter7173]

this is. beautiful. it is so perfectly made, I absolutely love it in every way

[@ohmystars1774]

Aww thank you!

[@MClaro-xs4ft]

Wonderful 😁✨

[@lilia3529]

This is absolutely amazing!!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thanks!

[@katacariddi9310]

Amazing!!!!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@muffinslawl]

SO GOOD ACTUALLY? I love this!

[@ohmystars1774]

Thanks!

[@fyltheold]

Просто отвал всего 🤩

[@ohmystars1774]

Спасибо!

[@eimeartheirishstitcher]

Oh hey this came out on my birthday! I love love love it. Especially the colourful ending.

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@eurydice6392]

Im in love ahhh

[@therainbowwillow4453]

OH ITS BEAUTIFUL!

[@youknow2145]

ooooooh this is so good how is this that good?! :O

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@aprilmccaffrey6452]

This is so beautiful! I love it

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you♥️

[@boopsnoopdoop0119]

Perfect ,God speed and bless

[@siobhanconneely4199]

So amazing and fresh

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!!

[@analauravillanueva2160]

I LOVE THIS

[@ohmystars1774]

Ty!

[@yasminer.1578]

This is amazing !

[@ohmystars1774]

Thank you!

[@melinajohansson9715]

WHY HAS RHIS SO FEW LIKES WHAAAAT

[@silenteye9547]

My favorite toxic cis het relationship ❤

[@xigbargalenus8666]

PD: muchas gracias

[@xigbargalenus8666]

pero que love ni que loft

[@pip1278]

SO GOOD !!! the changing to the colours had me shook me it was so perfect ! love it, you did an amazing job

[@ohmystars1774]

Awww I'm happy the colors worked out!