Video Analysis: Taiji Fishing Industry

A documentary is an expository text that informs its audience about an issue person or event using visual and auditory conventions to convey a message. Documentaries are often used to reveal an unusual, interesting or unknown angle. Topics are limited only by one's imagination. The documentary Blackfish is the story of Tilikum, a captive killer whale that has taken the lives of several people, it underscores problems within the sea-park industry, man's relationship to nature, and how little has been learned about these highly intelligent mammals. This documentary was directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. The ideas that orcas are wild and unpredictable, Seaworld’s treatment of orcas are inhumane and Seaworld’s was negligent in their training of their trainers. These ideas are shown throughout the documentary as visual techniques of Celebrity figure, expert opinion, audio codes, the documentary technique of interviews, archival footage and written codes. I think these ideas in the documentary are quite true and are well proven throughout the documentary.

The beginning of the documentary shows a whale attacking the trainer which makes the audience feel whales are dangerous and invites us to be terrified of them. The body of the documentary then goes into depth about the whales which explains SeaWorld’s mistreatment of them, whale psychology and their behaviour. The end of the documentary, a footage of a whale swimming with the community, which represent hope for the whales. By constructing a sequence like this, it makes us feel aware, anger and compassion which is basically playing with our emotions and also that is what the producer do to make a quality, memorable and poignant

The documentary, Blackfish, proves that there was and still is quite a bit of controversy over whether it is ethical to keep Orcas in captivity. Some people believe that it is acceptable since the Orcas are being treated and fed well. Other people, however, believe that this is not ethical because being kept in a tank for twenty years leads to aggression and therefore is too dangerous for humans. The documentary proves that there are many incidents, in the past, where a whale has harmed their trainer. One example of this, that made people more aware of the danger, was the death of Dawn Brancheau in 2010 (Cowperthwaite & Oteyza, 2013). The incidence has led to many different debates over the years and Sea World has had to try to refute the claims that were made about them. The claims were regarding their treatment of the whales and other issues. However, Sea World was not

With all of the incidents and interviews provided in the film, my interpretation of what the Filmmakers purpose was to provide evidence and information explaining why there are so many deadly killer whale accidents. Viewers can take away enough information from this film to make their own opinion on Sea Worlds captivity of killer whales. The filmmakers of blackfish pieced together Tilikums story with different film footage, interviews with trainers who know Tilikum the most, and expert testimonies. It creates a great set up for their claim about captivated killer whales used for entertainment.

Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s documentary Blackfish explores the harm captivity causes to whales and their trainers. Throughout the film the orca whales undergo a transformation from defenseless creatures into molded killers. The orcas in the film are portrayed as intelligent and caring creatures who are capable of grief. Through this character the development the documentary has affected how these animals are treated, as well as the public’s opinion on the issue.

Stories that were told by former Seaworld employees and by people who were close to those who got killed was personal and heartbreaking, and pulled at the heartstrings of the audience. Those interviews allowed viewers to connect emotionally with what the whales and their trainers had endured. There was also interviews of individuals that were in the audience while the whales were misbehaving from stress leading up to them eventually attacking their trainers. This emotional appeal allows viewers to emphasize with the innocent civilians that were affected by these

In conclusion to everything about the film. The director of this film made very strong points about the pathos side throughout the whole entire movie by using the sad images and videos of the Orca whales and the deaths of trainers in the movie but also with the upbeat music from the commercials for Sea-world. She also does really well with portraying the logos in the whole movie as well with all of the information that was provided in the movie. But as I said in the beginning, it lacked in ethos hugely and should have been

A documentary is film dedicated to recording an aspect of reality for informational purposes. Documentaries can cover a wide variety of topics, such as the wildlife in the world. A major topic that has become relevant is the discussion of endangered species and the human impact on their lives. In the movie, The Cove, the portrayal of Ric O’Barry creates pathos and ethos to gives the audience a sense of urgency to help the fight against the slaughtering of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. Ric O’Barry, in the 1960’s, was a famous capturer and trainer of dolphins for the popular TV show, Flipper.

The documentary Blackfish by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, is trying to persuade its audience that keeping orcas, or commonly known as killer whales, in captivity is a mistake. The director does this through rhetorical strategies. This film targets SeaWorld and its consumers in a logical way. “SeaWorld claims that orcas live longer in captivity than in the wild.

I grew up in a culture where animals were considered family members; I was raised with the idea that animals, like people, deserve rights and the right to protection. What drew me to choose the topic of orca captivity, and the campaign to end it, is the animal itself. In my opinion orcas are one of the most incredible animals in the world. I’ve always been captivated by the culture of orcas and have always loved visiting marine parks to learn more and interact with the amazing creature. That is, until I was introduced to the film Blackfish.

Through a collection of research, commercials, and interviews, the documentary, Blackfish, reveals the possible reasons for the number of recent killer whale attacks. Blackfish argues that killer whales experience frustration and abuse when held in captivity. In addition, many theme parks, like Sea World, withhold information about the treatment and natural history from both employees and tourists.

Do you think Seaworld treats the majestic Killer Whale right? In the documentary entitled “Blackfish’’ we learn about what happens behind the fun and exciting shows. This film was directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, and the release date of the documentary is July, 19th 2013. The purpose of this film is to persuade us that while being kept at Seaworld, and even being captured to go there, the Killer Whales were mistreated. The animals still put on amazing shows for an audience, but the way they were caught and trained needed to be a lot more reasonable.

Director, Gabriela Cowperthwaite, in her documentary, Blackfish, exposes SeaWorld for the cruel capture and mistreatment of Orca whales in their amusement parks located around the world. Cowperthwaite’s purpose is to persuade and compel viewers to understand how cruelly the Orcas are being treated and how being kept in captivity can negatively affect Orcas whales. Cowperthwaite efficiently persuades her audience that abducting Orca whales from the wild and keeping the animals in captivity is not morally right by including pathos in vivid imagery and in building a somber mood.

In the film they would have one interviewer who was an ex-trainer at SeaWorld, and he was pro-SeaWorld, saying that he believes SeaWorld has a lot of potential to be wonderful, then another ex-trainer who is anti-SeaWorld, and wants SeaWorld to be shut down. If you are trying to persuade people that captivity is immoral, you shouldn’t want to have someone who thinks captivity is acceptable. The film used many cinematic techniques that helped make “Blackfish” so successful. They used real video footage from actual places that they have orcas captive

Think of a 8,000 lb whale dragging you down to the bottom of a pool. Imagine the horror you would feel. Picture water filling your lungs with each shallow breath you take. This is what a trainer could possibly be up against every day. In Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s documentary, Blackfish, it portrays the horror it is to be working with these, rightfully named, killer whales. SeaWorld tried to counter Cowperthwaite, but ultimately failed. Cowperthwaite uses her ability to manipulate the viewer’s emotions to suggest the fact that these giant animals should be set free, giving us the feeling of anger towards SeaWorld, but she lacks in her credibility, using uneducated or biased interviewees, and logical reasoning, with the severe flaws in her