Afterlife Films Post Analysis: Blackfish Case 13 Years Later.
Afterlife Films Post-Project Analysis: Narrative Framing and Public Perception in the Blackfish Documentary Case 13 Years Later.
One of the most prominent documentaries that captured the public’s attention and exposed cruel animal practices, as well as unveiling animal rights violations of captive orcas, was the 2013 documentary “Blackfish”, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. What is most important about Blackfish is how the documentary successfully showcased the hidden practices of SeaWorld and captured the attention of millions of audiences across the globe, who had no clue of the practices SeaWorld had committed across its amusement parks.
Keep in mind, SeaWorld, before 2013, was considered a home staple for families since its opening on March 21, 1964, as the company branded itself as being an advocate for marine animals and ocean preservation. As the curtain behind SeaWorld was unveiled to the public with Blackfish, SeaWorld was negatively impacted by newfound animal advocates, protestors, park attendees, and other wildlife organizations. SeaWorld’s stock price plummeted, and the company was forced to end its breeding of orcas across all parks to appeal to widespread petitioners who watched the film. While we consider this case to be one of the most successful that subjected a billion-dollar organization to give in and shift its policies, there are various impactful ways Afterlife Films would’ve taken on this case had it wound up on our desks, that Blackfish missed the mark on.
The Afterlife Films Effect: Address ALL Captive Mammals on SeaWorld Property:
Though Blackfish is an exclusive deep dive into the captivity of killer whales alone, the documentary missed its mark by not addressing the other sea animals that suffer the same confinement and psychological trauma as orcas. Afterlife Films would’ve deployed a team of investigators to look into past or recent ill practices of the various other animals in SeaWorld parks, further exposing their ethical concerns surrounding their practices in our documentary. Furthermore, we would also heavily investigate training procedures and past facility-related accidents across multiple parks. Once we had all the necessary information, we would’ve interviewed SeaWorld employees from other departments and not just the ones working with orcas, to shed light on how non-orca species are treated across the parks. By not doing so, SeaWorld, even if inadvertently, may have shifted public attention toward other marine mammal programs following the increased scrutiny of Blackfish.
As stated previously, Afterlife Films would’ve deployed a team to look into the 68 other species in captivity, even just to touch on the subject to keep the primary focus on orcas. In doing so, public outrage would have had a broader impact, from just “Release the orcas” to “Release all animals” held in captivity. Because other species were glossed over, even 13 years later, advocates, protestors, and organizations do not even think about the other animals that are subjected to the same treatment as orcas. This is a good moment for an advocacy group to further look into and to pick up where Blackfish dropped the ball.
The Afterlife Films Effect: Don’t Make Your Claims Too Biased.
When a client comes to us passionately about their causes, Blackfish suffers from the same fate many potential clients and prospects of ours do as well when they reach out to us: being too biased and one-sided in their claims and core beliefs.
Think of it like this: if you want the general public to be on your side, you don’t try to force them, even if trying indirectly. A better strategy would be to put all the information out and let the audience think for themselves. With Blackfish’s case, there is too much emphasis on Blackfish as the hero, and SeaWorld as the villain. And although one could even make truthful claims as such, here is a core concept: people hate being sold something that is forced, just as much as audiences hate one-sided narratives that are clearly trying to push them toward their own beliefs. That’s where documentaries lose some of their impact.
When an approach leans too heavily in one direction, it can even have unintended consequences such as making the opposing side even more defensive, whether that’s through public pushback, legal challenges, or simply refusing to engage with the message. A more balanced presentation encourages reflection rather than resistance, where the main goal is to ultimately lead organizations to take a harder look at themselves and reconsider their own practices.
With this approach in mind, Afterlife Films is not here to produce hit pieces. The goal is to create documentaries that present the full scope of a situation in a way that is compelling and fair enough to encourage real change. Here’s the approach Afterlife would’ve taken.
We would’ve highlighted the positive impacts that SeaWorld has done. And while this may sound counterintuitive, when you strike back with your own claims, it will make you look unbiased and allow the audience to see the full scope to make them think for themselves and to come up with their own view.
While it’s likely that the team of Blackfish reached out to SeaWorld’s senior management, they either refused to participate or declined to be interviewed for the documentary. Afterlife Films would’ve touched on the subject of what SeaWorld has positively done. This does include the fact that the organization has rescued thousands of animals, including dolphins, seals, turtles, and more, and released them to the wild when possible. Also including the fact that SeaWorld is one of the largest marine animal rescue programs in the U.S., amongst many of things.
Ultimately, Afterlife Films approach is about showing everything, not just one side. Our goal isn’t to tell people what to think, but to give them all the information so they can decide for themselves. With narrative pieces where you’re trying to amplify a cause, this is the best approach. By including different perspectives and showing both the positives and negatives, the message becomes harder to dismiss as bias, one sided, or a hit piece.
This is what Afterlife Films stands for, creating documentaries that don’t just push a reaction, but actually make people stop, think, and to ultimately change policy shifts.
