Invictus Study Guide
Feature movies are a medium, an art and a business. Each of these elements plays a role. As a medium, movies represent ideas through the codes and conventions of sound and moving image. As art, they make personal and cultural statements to their audiences. As businesses, they create work for their creators and profits for their investors and distributors.
This guide, which extends the ideas presented in Invictus episode of Beyond the Screen, may be used by teachers as they support their students, by parents who want to discuss the movie with their children, or by serious viewers who want to think beyond the screen.
Plot Synopsis: Nelson Mandela, president of South Africa, decides to use the upcoming Rugby World Cup games to re-define South Africa and encourage coloured and white South Africans to cooperate with one another as they build a new nation. During the process, he must diplomatically overcome challenges posed by his own African National Conference party, his security guards, his presidential staffers and the fact that the national team lacks international experience.
A. Cinematography
Most of the shots were taken from cameras on tripods or dollies, but when the game play was photographed, the cameras were hand held.
How do the hand-held camera shots help viewers feel the excitement of the games?
When else did you notice the use of hand-held cameras?
The Hawaii state government subsidized the production of Hawaii Five-O, a cops-and-robbers television series, because watching the show’s beautiful scenes encouraged viewers to visit the islands. Invictus shows viewers many views of South Africa, including urban and rural locations. Based on what you saw, do you think you would like to visit South Africa? Why?
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