A2 Media. Analysing our music video animatic through the theorist Andrew Goodwin.

1. Representations and
Analysis of Storyboard
Animatic
Andrew Goodwins Theory
by Jacob Godsell , Robert
Wilson and Tom Crane

2. Representations in the music video animatic
There are lots of representations that the audience receive from our music video animatic When creating our animatic we aimed
for the audience to be attracted to the video which encourages the audience to think about what is being portrayed and what our
characters are feeling. The significance of emotions in our music video is heavily portrayed purposely to make the audience feel
more involved with the video which will result in the audience becoming interested and encouraging repeatability.
We are representing our lead singer (Edan Pickering) as a broken and hurt individual that has been torn apart by her family due to
her mum suffering with alcoholism which can be relatable for some of our audience members due to past experience and shared
cultural awareness. We are presenting this by showing lots of past memories and photos of her and her family and we see her
throw them away and distance her self from them due to the haunting memories of the past. We also see Edan go back to her
family and leave as she cannot cope anymore and so this portrays Edan as a heartbroken and confused individual. We chose such a
difficult topic to explore due to the corresponding lyrics that match our visuals. Our group also aims to promote the damage that
alcoholism can do and how it breaks down families.
The reason to why we chose this subject is because alcoholism is a disease/ addiction which is found all over the world and can
happen to anyone of us and we wanted to portray the effects that it has on others around the sufferer that may make them think
about stopping or trying to get help if they can see what harm they are doing to there friends and family. Also it may be relatable
to the people who are around the sufferers and they will feel as if they are not alone, these two primal factors are why we wanted
to represent this through our music video and to convey a deeper meaning.
We are going to represent and convey this through lots of broken down buildings and structures to portray Edan, the broken down
houses represent how her family is ruined and broken down, to reinforce this image the majority of the filming will be edited to
black and white. However, so signify parts of the video where the mood and atmosphere changes from sombre and dreary to a
more positive representation, we use brighter scenes to shoot which will present her as liberated through the introduction of
colour.
We are going to represent these connotations and feelings by using a black and white effect over the video to show that she is in a
negative and dull place, we are also going to have our singer where dark and dull clothing which will represent that she has little
light within her life and that she has very little to escape to. We are also going to use several props that will be probs that will be
related to her childhood such as family photos, a teddy bear and a wind up dancer to show she is still attached to her childhood
and partly still attached to her family even though she is being haunted by the memories of her alcoholic mother that has caused
much stress and discomfort in her life that has caused her to run away from home.

3. Andrew Goodwin: 7 Key theories to
identify in music videos
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in
metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented
with images. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of
the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying,
contradicting).
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of
the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a
visual style).
5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens,
mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a
visual style)
7. There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music
videos etc).

4. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage
performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band,
aspiration in Hip Hop).
• The music video animatic demonstrates our genre characteristics throughout the video by using characteristics that
are linked with rock music. We have achieved this throughout the clip but in a variety of different ways for example
we have used lots of eye make up and red lipstick for the mise en scene of our lead artist (Edan Pickering) and we
have also presented her through the use of dull and dark clothing to show that she has little light in her life, and
that she is hurting due to her past experience. Rock genre characteristics almost always use dark colour and tones
to convey deeper meaning.
• We have used a variety of props that are linked with rock music genre that resemble a depressive theme such as
old family photos, childhood toys and we have also used props and locations such as broken down buildings and
rocks to present that she is broken down in side, which reinforces the fact that she is hurting and being haunted by
past memories.
• The animatic music video is a more abstract component of the rock genre where the music is slow paced and sobre
at first. The slow paced start in the music video presents the feeling of deep emotions to the audience and creates
a dreary and an unknowing mood and atmosphere that creats a connection directly to Edan’s past. The audience
receive this from the music video that displays feelings of sadness, being hurt and depression. This dreary tone is
continued in the filming and editing style as the music video is dominantly in black and white in harsh and
isolating locations to representing the feeling the protagonist in undergoing.
• However, towards the end of the music video the mood quickly changes to a feeling of freedom and liberation from
the feeling of being haunted by the past of having an alcoholic mother that slowly destroyed Edans family through
the introduction of the band and colour in the video. The editing becomes faster and more violent that rock genre
music video’s use to match the beat of the music.
• This theory complies with our animatic as we have presented a variety of genre characteristics to relate with the
audience.

5. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are
represented with images. (either illustrative, amplifying,
contradicting).
There is an amplifying relationship between the lyrics and the visuals in ‘My immortal’. The animatic creative
music video is open to literal and metaphorical interpretation. The music video is both performance and
narrative. However the music video is dominantly a narrative music video with minimal performance by the
band. The music video is not complex and follows Edan Pickering on a journey of being haunted by past
memories of her alcoholic mother that are still present and real to her. The narrative part of the video takes
the viewer on a journey that displays Edan coming to terms with her past, the effect that these harsh and
incontrollable circumstances has had on her and then finally, Edan accepting what has happened. By the music
video being loose it encourages repeatability by the audience in order for them to understand the true
meaning of the song and develop ideas for themselves about the feeling Edan is undergoing and experiencing
in this difficult time. The loose meaning of the song also encourages musical synesthesia meaning the lyrical
and musical performance of the song determines the mood and visual subject, this is how the relationship
between the lyrics and the visuals shown through the narration, is determined. Musical synesthesia is used to
connect the audience to the lyrics and visuals and to aid in their understanding. The audience of ‘My Immortal’
will understand the video due to shared cultural knowledge and intertexuality about the problems runaway
kids are facing and the the effect that alcoholism can have on a family. The lyrics match the visuals in ‘My
Immortal, due to the amplification of the music video.
The lyrics match the
lyrics as Edan is walking
away from her family
home that is now
destroyed with the
lyrics – ‘I’m so tired of
being here’ showing
that she wants to
escape the haunting
memories of her
alcoholic mother.
The lyrics match the
visuals as Edan and her
mother are holding
hands and then slowly
slipping away from
eachother showing
there relationship has
been ruined and they
are distant from one
another- “I held your
hand through all of
these years’

6. There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and
atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music. (either
illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
There is a clear relationship between the music and the visuals in our music video animatic of the song ‘My
Immortal’. The music starts of slow which is reinforced by slow editing cuts and soft movements by Edan
alongside a slow and heartfelt dance to match the tone. This creates a sombre tone and atmosphere to the
music video. Edans alcoholic mother also plays her part in setting the tone and atmosphere due to a short clip
revealing that she is an alcoholic that drinks all day and doesn't’t play any part in her children's life's leaving
Edan feeling alone in the world that leaves her with feeling of hurt and depression which leads her to running
away. Pictures of Edan and her mother are also in the music video to show that there was once a time when
Edan was happy that directly contradicts the feelings that Edan is now undergoing. The tone and atmosphere of
the visuals reflects that of the music throughout. Towards the end of the music video the music heightens with
electric guitars and drums that are abruptly introduced and the clips of the band performing together are
introduced. The cuts of the editing then become faster paced and a wider use of shot angels and camera
movements are then used to support this. This is also shown in Edans louder and new aggressive voice that is
added to the music video that takes away the dreary tone and adds excitement and thrill that keeps the
audience connected and interested and gives the sense that she has overcome the emotions of hurt and
isolation she was experiencing but only for a short amount of time. The music video is cut to a music
performance of the band in a studio. It is clear to the audience now that there is strong relationship between
the music and visuals as we can now see the band performing alongside other clips of Edan dancing more
aggressively in the narration. The performance component that has now been introduced towards the end of
the song focuses on the degree of authenticity in the bands performance and the bands conventions.
The opening of the music
video animatic shows a clear
relationship between the
music and visuals. A clip of
Edan holding a music box is
presented alongside a dreary
and sombre tone and
atmosphere showing feelings
of hurt in her childhood
experience.
When the music
heightens, guitars
and drumming is
introduced in the
music this is met
alongside visuals of
the band
performing.

7. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of
close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which
recur across their work (a visual style).
The demand of the record label includes the needs for lots of close ups of the artists which is shown in ‘My
Immortal’ as theorist Andrew Godwin states. The close ups used in the music video dominantly feature close
ups of the lead singer and leading band member Edan Pickering from Dystopia. The close ups in the music video
make it apparent to the audience of her emotions that are shown through her facial expressions and the
movement of her eyes and lips to show she is in pain and is hurting revealed through extensive close up shots
due to Edans experience of an alcoholic mother that has caused her to distance her self from the world and led
her to run away from her family home that is metaphorically broken and crumbling. The close ups used in the
music video animatic make both the narrative and performance more personal to the viewer to meet the
demand of Dystopia’s record label. Edans eye contact to the camera also does this and it shows that she is
aiming the lyrics to the viewer to encourage them to understand the meaning of the song and feel her immense
emotions that some viewers may also be feeling or have felt in the past. The record label demands the use of
close ups in music videos to show off the Dystopia’s band members and its brand. This helps to create a closer
bond with existing audiences and create a new relationship with potential audiences. Edan is the main band
member featured in the music video as she is the leading band member of the band Dystopia and is the only
girl so is dominantly seen in the music video through the use of close ups and a variety of different shots.
However other band members feature a minimal amount of times in the performance part of the music video
animatic through close ups and other shots to meet the demand of the record label and to connect the
audience to all band members.
Close ups of Edan in the music video animatic to meet the demand of the record label

8. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens
within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic
treatment of the female body.
The notion of looking in ‘My Immortal’ is due to the extensive use of close ups used in the music video animatic
and the close attention of Edans eyes that the camera focuses on throughout the video such as when she is
lying down in the grass and when she is performing. The close ups are used to highlight Edans eyes that are
seen to be directly looking at the camera or slightly turned away. It is a vital part of any music video that the
audience feel connected emotionally to the song and drawn in by the lyrics, the narration and the
performance so they become driven by it to encourage repeatability of the music video which was our aim
when producing our music video animatic. The notion of looking is also evident in our music video animatic as
in some parts of the music video the viewers are looking through the eyes of Edan such as when she is looking
at family photos. We see Edans tears dripping onto the pictures from her point of the view, which connects the
audience to the feeling Edan is experiencing. The notion of looking engages the audience a vital part of any
music video which contributes to the demand of the record label and the success of the video.
Clips from the animatic
referring to the notion of
looking
The voyeuristic treatment of the female body is evident in our animatic. The video presents Edan as delicate due to
the pain she undergoing and feeling as she is being haunted by past memories of her alcoholic mother. Edans delicate
performance in the narrative part of the music video through the camera following her on her journey of hurt and
delicate and sombre dance allows the audience to become predatory and voyeuristic towards her body due to her
being in a state of hurt and vulnerability and being all alone in isolating locations. The audience are watching the
private activity of Edan undergoing and experiencing immense pain and suffering. The audience recognise that Amy’s
state of mind and become predatory towards her because she in vulnerable. Edan further reinforces this critical
interpretation of the music video through the clothing she is wearing which appeals to the male gaze that focuses on
the sexulisation of the female body.

9. The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across
their work (a visual style)
Dystopia’s motifs and iconography recurs across this music video animatic as Addrew Goodwin states that it
should. Motifs and iconography are used to meet the demand of the bands record label. Iconography in
Dystopia’s music video animatic make it very clear to the audience what is being viewed as importance my the
music video as the camera attracts the attention of the person or object by solely focusing on it. Edan is
dominantly focused on in the music video animatic showing she is the protagonist that is in a state of hurt as the
focus of the camera is dominantly on her and props and locations that signify her experiences of hurt such as
broken down building metaphorically linking to her broken family life. Throughout the music video the music
video animatic correlates to rock genre characteristics in both performance and narrative parts of the music
video. This is shown through the use of powerful guitar strings, the harsh beating of the drums, the backing of
the bass and Edans powerful vocals that deliver the message of the song to their audience with pure passion
and emotion. A more recogonisable feature of iconography that the occurs across the music video animatic is
the mise en scene in reference to the style and costumes of the band. The band in the music video animatic
wear classic rock costumes that are dominantly black . Rock stars wear black to represent the tone of the song
and is recognised by the audience due to shared cultural awareness. The ambiguity and uncertainty of the
mood and atmosphere also continues throughout the video clip as we see Edan in a state of hurt and then when
she seems to be liberated from the feeling if the hurt but then the audience are reminded of the harsh reality
that nothing has changed and Edan is still undergoing these feelings. Other motifs that occurs across the music
video is the constant reminder of Edans past where she was happy and confortable in family life as shown
through family photos that she reminisces on throughout the music video animatic that occurs multiple times.
The family images act as a direct contrast to Edans current mood and the atmosphere of the animatic. The music
animatic also reveals another motif that shows Edan lying down several times showing that she has given up and
just want the memories to go away.
A recurring motif of Edan lying down in the music video animatic

10. There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV
programmes, other music videos etc).
The music video animatic has intertexual references that
link to three other music videos. The first is ‘My Immortal’
By Evanescence, the music video has references to this
music video through the depressed and hurting female
protagonist that both music videos share. Other intertexual
references include the introduction of the band towards
the end of the song when the music heightens and
becomes more aggressive. Both Evanescence's music video
and our music video animatic also have a narrative part
and a performance part showing the amplifying
relationship. Amy Lee and Edan Pickering in the music
video also conform to the notion of looking and are often
seen looking and singing in the camera connecting the
audience to the music video. The second music video that
our music video animatic has intertexual references to is
‘Ruanway Train’ by Soul Asylum as both music vidos have
pictures of children that have ran away from home. In our
music video Edan has ran away from home due to an
alcoholic mother that has destroyed Edans family and her
home life. Our music video animatic also refers to pictures
of Edan with her family that is cut too and from several
times throughout the music video which shows that she is
no longer part of home life and will never have those
happy times with her mum again. The final music video
that our music video animatic has interexual references too
is Where The Wild Roses Grow by Nick Cave and The Bad
Seed/ Kylie Minogue. In this music video Kylie is seen dead
surrounded by nature. In our music video Edan is
presented to the audience is a state of hurt and deep
depression almost looking dead surrounded by nature and
having lilly's in her hair to act as a noticeable literal
connation for the audience to recognise.