Description
Film Study Worksheet for Blackfish
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (5-10 points)
- List three compelling facts described in the film that reinforce the film’s position on Orcas being held in captivity. (5 pts)
- List three compelling facts related to the film’s claim that trainers were misled about the risks of their job and that SeaWorld did not provide them with adequate protection. (5 pts)
- Describe cinematic framing techniques used in presenting particular scenes, images, or sounds that were designed to appeal to the viewer’s emotions and to persuade the viewer to agree with the position advocated by the film. Based on the framing, what key messages can you conclude the filmmakers were trying to convey to the audience? (10 pts)
- Did any of the reasoning given in support of the positions advocated by the film seem to be weak or misleading? If so, describe the reasoning and why you thought it was flawed. What were some of SeaWorld’s primary issues with the film’s content, according to the public statement on their website (“Why Blackfish is ‘Propaganda,’ Not a Documentary”)? Do you agree or disagree? (10 pts)
- Outside of class, do some research to explore what steps SeaWorld has taken to respond to the documentary and repair its public image since the film was released. Describe these steps in detail, using citations from your research (APA or MLA style). Then in summary, explain the degree to which the film and its resulting news coverage have affected SeaWorld and influenced policies regarding orca captivity.
ESSAY QUESTION (20 points)
Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Running head: "BLACKFISH" WORKSHEET
"Blackfish" Worksheet
Student’s name:
Institutional affiliation:
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"BLACKFISH" WORKSHEET
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"BLACKFISH" WORKSHEET
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List three compelling facts described in the film that reinforce the film’s position on
Orcas being held in captivity (5 pts).
The film suggests that when orcas are taken away forcefully from their parents and
families in general, they are affected psychologically and emotionally, something that haunts
them all their lives. The film perceives that this emotional trauma and loneliness is the reason
why they turn chaotic and even kill their trainers. In the film, Tilikum was taken away when he
was 2 years old and started killing humans when around 22 years (Cowperthwaite, 2013).
Apart from that, the film argues that the concrete walls and pools the orcas are kept in
during captivity are very small comparable to the 100 miles swim they are used to in the wild.
They compare these pools to bathtubs in the human perspective.
Another major point they put forward is that orcas live only 15-20 years while in
captivity, which is only a small fraction of their lifespan. The orcas can live up to 60 years for
males and 100 years for females in the wild (Cowperthwaite, 2013). This can be attributed to the
chemicals and drugs they are injected, as well as physical and mental trauma.
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List three compelling facts related to the film’s claim that trainers were misled about
the risks of their job and that SeaWorld did not provide t...
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