Please Watch Blackfish!
by Lauren Lee on Jan, 13 2014“Blackfish” was first debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013. On October 24, 2013, CNN broadcasted the documentary to an audience of 472,000 in the major demographic of ages 25 to 54. The movie has been available for streaming on Netflix since December 13, 2013. In the twelve months since its release, the film has been creating waves of change.
The documentary details the tragedies and dangers of keeping the species in captivity and in close contact with their human trainers, for the sole purpose of mindless entertainment and money making. It specifically outlines the deceit and exploitation committed by the SeaWorld Corporation and presents graphic footage of a number of deaths and attacks on trainers by the whales that have occurred in front of live audiences. The documentary includes interviews with past SeaWorld trainers who admit that the billion-dollar organization had brainwashed them with false information (including the average life span of a killer whale), and had failed to warn them of the whales’ history of violence.
Male orcas’ dorsal fins, erect in the wild, go limp and curl over in captivity. “Blackfish” reveals that SeaWorld blatantly lies to its customers, whose staff preaches that “most orcas have this collapsed fin”, when in reality, less than 1% do.
The film trended on various social media platforms, as top celebrities expressed outrage and advocated their followers to watch “Blackfish”.
SeaWorld actually went public on the stock exchange shortly before the release of “Blackfish”, and thanks to this eye-opening documentary and the attention it is causing – what with being considered for an Oscar nomination and earning raving reviews across all major sites – the brand is now in a very, very bad position.
The only thing better than this social media uproar is the small yet tangible change that has resulted from the success of “Blackfish”.
SeaWorld attendance had been down 6% by November 2013, and shares are down 25%. Even David D’Alessandro, director of SeaWorld, recently sold $1.3 million worth of his SeaWorld stocks. On New Years Day, at the Rose Parade, 19 people were arrested for protesting SeaWorld’s float. More and more people are taking action and boycotting the organization, which is definitely a step in the right direction.
With a new year upon us, I am hopeful to see SeaWorld hit rock bottom and close its doors.
Blackfish is important. It is necessary. Watch it.
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