LT - Product Analysis # 1

Scouting for Girls - She's So Lovely
Click here to see the video.

• Performance / narrative based.
• Definitely an illustrative video as the narrative shows the male band members looking at a girl, which illustrates the main lyric, 'She's so lovely'.
• Performance shots intercut with shots of the narrative concept throughout.
• Genre characteristics - "indie" clothes and hairstyle, performing with his instrument.
• Relationship between lyrics and visuals - illustrative - at a bowling alley, "she's got a boyfriend though and that's a pity" - shot of her kissing a man, "i love the way she bites her lip" - CU of her biting her lip.
• Voyeuristic treatment of the female body - dismembered shots of her lips, legs, feet (male gaze) and bum.
• CU of band members throughout the video show their reaction to her, staring with their mouths open - voyeurism.
• Intertextual reference - 'Grease' era - café/diner, polka dot skirts, neckties, tight 3/4 length jeans, bright coloured clothes (her red shoes - iconic of a strong woman, connotes passion and danger), American feel.
• Ambient consumption - narrative based but illustrative and simple concept, doesn't really enhance the effect of the song in terms of audience engagement.
• Comedy element in the video - he tries to impress her but is rubbish at bowling, drops his bowling ball because he's staring at her.
• Relationship between music and visuals - camera cuts to shots of different men's reacitons to the girl on the different drum beats.
• First person mode of address - singer talks directly to the audience, lip-synching, telling the story to the audience.
• Barthes' cultural codes - understand the bowling alley concept, reference to 'Grease', almost a film narrative as his friend tells him to go and tell the pretty popular girl that he likes her - he says "I think that you are beautiful" to her with his eyes closed as though finding it hard to say it.