The "Blackfish Effect" Part 3: Instant Mass Dissemination

     One of the most important decisions made by the Blackfish team was that to license the film to CNN. In her Huffington Post article, Caty Chattoo states that “a premiere on CNN was not only a mass-viewer distribution strategy, but one that fired up a synergistic publicity and news media machine.” This is because CNN was able to do far, far more than just present Blackfish to a mass audience. Immediately surrounding the documentary’s release, CNN conducted multiple interviews and produced several news articles regarding all sides of the issue. The results of such massive communication greatly benefited the animal right’s campaign to reform SeaWorld’s treatment of Killer Whales as more and more people read about the gross injustices committed in the name of entertainment. Even when the media relayed SeaWorld’s defense of its practices, the simple absurdity of the matter just became more and more apparent. Without the tremendous reach afforded by harnessing the news machine of CNN, the Blackfish Effect would have failed to reach the audience population required for such a widespread--and successful--call to action. The takeaway? Cutting a deal with a major news and entertainment provider like CNN provides an ideal medium for the comprehensive communication of a stirring call to action.

The "Blackfish Effect" Part 2: Active Support Base

     The preliminary, foundational component of the Blackfish Effect stems from the existence of an active base of support for the cause and issue. Several animal rights organizations have raised awareness of SeaWorld’s unethical practices in the past, and so when the release of Blackfish was announced, groups like the Oceanic Preservation Society and PETA jumped to its support. Not only did these nonprofits issue statements of public praise, but they also actively campaigned for the film and initiated their own sub-movements among their supporters. Not only did organizations like these bolster Blackfish’s publicity, but they also advanced the movement by using the film as a catalyst for the continuous campaign to convince SeaWorld to remedy its wrongful ways. In addition to support from animal rights activists, Blackfish also garnered widespread acclaim among celebrities. And in modern America, the vocal approval of multiple celebrities is a key component to successful outreach. Our takeaway? In order to achieve utmost success, any sort of social movement seeking specific change should first make sure that an eager base of supporters stands ready to embrace and then expand the desired message.

The "Blackfish Effect" Part 1: Intro

    The 2013 documentary Blackfish was revolutionary in its nature. By combining a powerful emotional appeal with comprehensive investigative research, the producers of the film presented a compelling argument against SeaWorld’s policies regarding its captivated Orca Whales. Following the widespread public outrage directed against the theme park, resulting in the popularity of what many analysts have called the “Blackfish Effect.” This effect is important to understand not only in order to appreciate this particular issue, but also for future reference. In order to understand it, we must first explore the nature of this phenomenon. Caty Chattoo, writing for the Huffington Post, provides an insightful analysis for the Blackfish Effect by examining six elements of the successful production and movement.

Celebrities on Blackfish

Who watched Blackfish

Blackfish made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013, an estimated 46,000 people attended the festival but we are unsure of exactly how many people viewed Blackfish specifically. When Blackfish aired on CNN in October 2014, nearly 21 million people were watching. Since then, Blackfish has been available for online streaming and DVD. A lot of celebrities have watched the film and spoke out against SeaWorld after watching the film.

What Blackfish is all about

Blackfish was created in 2013. The main focus points of the film is Tilikum, an orca that has been kept in captivity at SeaWorld and is responsible for three human casualties, including one of the top orca trainers at SeaWorld in Orlando. The film uses Tilikum as the main example of why these intelligent yet deadly creatures should not be kept in captivity. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite also interviews retired or past SeaWorld trainers and video footage to prove the point that killer whales should not be kept in captivity.

Why we chose Blackfish

As children, we all visited SeaWorld. Of course, the Shamu Show was the height of the experience. Recently we, were inspired to watch the film, Blackfish. After watching, we wanted to research more on the topic and see how it played out in the media and what really led to SeaWorld coming to the decision to stop their Orca shows.