BLACKFISH

[The Empress Lilly]

A brilliant critique of BlackFish
Written from the POV of a lawyer.

'A lawyer of the amusement park industry'.

Would you be awfully disappointed if I will not waste my time? It's a show piece by a lawyer advertising himself and his services to amusement park clients.

 

[OFTeric]

'A lawyer of the amusement park industry'.

Would you be awfully disappointed if I will not waste my time? It's a show piece by a lawyer advertising himself and his services to amusement park clients.

Heaven forbid you read an objective rebuttal to what you blindly follow.

 

[Walt would be]

'A lawyer of the amusement park industry'.

Would you be awfully disappointed if I will not waste my time? It's a show piece by a lawyer advertising himself and his services to amusement park clients.

Then you really aren't interested in seeing all sides? Blackfish was overtly and admittedly one sided but many have jumped right on the bandwagon believing everything they see.

These articles from the other side, but not from anyone who has ever worked for Sea World, point out why Blackfish has to be looked at with an even keeled POV. Unlike Blackfish does to SW, these article don't specifically indict or dismiss what Blackfish claims but points out that motives and other factors could make the Blackfish findings and allegations less than above board. Much like what opponents claim SW does, business for profit, may also easily be applied to those who made Blackfish.

These articles shouldn't be accepted as gospel anymore than Blackfis should but the more information we have can help to make ours views, either way, more accurate. This is my goal anyway and Personally I am not above admitting I was wrong as my view changes (as I become more informed).

 

[The Empress Lilly]

'I am an attorney practicing in Hartford, Connecticut. A particular focus of mine is the legal needs of the amusement and tourism industry.'


It's a piece by an attorney advertising himself on his website to the amusement park industry.

Even so, perhaps he has got an interesting legal angle. Alas, he gives us a movie critique, instead of a legal exposé. To which he is qualified as much as a film director is to give legal advice. It's a blog post about a subject in which the author is not qualified, with the outright intent to advertise his capacity to provide legal aid and lobby pr services. It may very well be the least interesting article about Blackfish on the entire internet, meant for the eyes of the legal departments of the amusement park industry. I'm sure they will appreciate his capacity to shift focus from the message to the messenger, but for a wider audience this is not interesting.


* here's an article about the quality of SEA's legal arguments before OSHA, written by an architect. Please read *

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Do real documentaries even exist? A real documentary should be done like scientific research. Start with a hypothesis, gather data and come to a conclusion based on ALL the data. Everyone I have ever seen is done like pseudoscience where you start with a conclusion find/create/edit the data to fit your conclusion, ignore your rest then present your findings as fact.

Scientific research should be done as scientific research. Their end result is an article in a dedicated scientific journal. Read by specialists in their field. (Usually about five persons)

Documentaries should be made as documentaries. There are a great many interesting documentaries out there. A fantastic medium. One that serves a purpose as much as newspapers, or scientific journals, or discussion panels.

 

[unkadug]

Scientific research should be done as scientific research. Their end result is an article in a dedicated scientific journal. Read by specialists in their field. (Usually about five persons)

Documentaries should be made as documentaries. There are a great many interesting documentaries out there. A fantastic medium. One that serves a purpose as much as newspapers, or scientific journals, or discussion panels.

I agree and that is where Blackfish failed.

 

[Walt would be]

'I am an attorney practicing in Hartford, Connecticut. A particular focus of mine is the legal needs of the amusement and tourism industry.'


It's a piece by an attorney advertising himself on his website to the amusement park industry. *

Yes. He is upfront about that and you have issues with it???

Blackfish was going after SW from day one and the filmmaker pretty much says so reading between the lines "SW wasn't looking good in this no matter what" (or words to that effect) but that doesn't bother people because it's a cause people can wrap their hands around. I get it. I see that and I am not all pro SW on this issue. As I've said numerous times they need to address the issue of breeding Orca's in captivity. SERIOUS ISSUE.

I am a big animal rights fan and if you want to talk the annual whale massacre, big game hunting or the exploding problem of shark killing so rich people in Asia can eat shark fin soup, I'm with you. But Orca's cannot be captured anymore and the sole true issue left in front of us is captive breeding. The rest is beating a dead horse for publicity, Blackfish did that quite well.

But let's be serious, there are only 50+\- Orca's in captivity. How does this issue garner so much attention??? Because SW is attached to it. The only thing that could be more appealing to a filmmaker looking to make a big splash with a documentary would have been if Disney had some huge skeletons they could exploit.

 

[neoshinok]

Another artist taking a stand. Heart has cancelled their performance at SeaWorld.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/08/showbiz/seaworld-heart-blackfish/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[Master Yoda]

Scientific research should be done as scientific research. Their end result is an article in a dedicated scientific journal. Read by specialists in their field. (Usually about five persons)

Documentaries should be made as documentaries. There are a great many interesting documentaries out there. A fantastic medium. One that serves a purpose as much as newspapers, or scientific journals, or discussion panels.

I agree, but the process with both should still be the same. Start with a hypothesis and go where the data tells you to.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Blackfish has just won the Washington DC Film Critics Award for Best Documentary.

 

[luv]

I feel really badly for the people who made actual documentaries that will be passed over because everyone wants to hop on the Hate Sea World bandwagon.

There needs to be a new category for political movies.

Someone who worked hard and made a real, totally honest documentary shouldn't lose out on recognition because hating Sea World is the "in" thing for some people.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I feel really badly for the people who made actual documentaries that will be passed over because everyone wants to hop on the Hate Sea World bandwagon.

There needs to be a new category for political movies.

Someone who worked hard and made a real, totally honest documentary shouldn't lose out on recognition because hating Sea World is the "in" thing for some people.

Blackfish is a real documentary and it is being honored accordingly. Other documentaries are not bring "passed over". Stories We Tell just won the LA Film Critics Award, for example, and The Act of Killing has won a few recent honors. There are enough awards to go around, believe me.

 

[919Florida]

This is just getting so old. SeaWorld of the past is NOT the SeaWorld of today. And let’s just get this right. SeaWorld has rescued and RELEASED nearly 30,000 animals over the years. Animals who have had second chances at life. Millions and millions of dollars donated to animal research and conservation studies etc. Millions of volunteer hours to help care for and support animals. The majority of animals in the parks were born there or rescued and was not able to be released and they are being well cared for and loved so much. All the rescues all the research and everything SeaWorld has done will go unnoticed by everyone and that is sad. They truly have done a lot and they will continue to do so everyday. All these musical groups doing this is just trying to get some publicity since they are not in the lime light anymore.

 

[luv]

To be fair, the OP does give Sea World credit for all the tremendous work they do for the animals and did encourage people to donate to Sea World's fund for the animals.

Also, to be fair, many people who have jumped on the Hate Sea World bandwagon do admit that the Blackfish movie isn't really a documentary.

There are also people who are consistent in their beliefs and think all animals should be left in the wild. I totally respect that viewpoint and even share it a little...just not enough to want the zoos and aquariums shut down. I totally appreciate where they are coming from and respect their beliefs, even if I don't entirely share them.

But most people are just anti-Sea World because that's cool now. They couldn't care less about the animals. They aren't anti-Disney or anti-zoo or anything else. Just Sea World. Because that's what is "in." They wouldn't care about what happens to all the animals Sea World helps, so long as they were able to shut Sea World down. Helping the animals comes second to the Cause.

I sometimes wonder if this all started with Sea World refusing to pay some blackmail group.

In a few years, they'll all move on to whatever is cool to protest at that pint.

I've always been a big Barenaked Ladies fan and am disappointed they won't play, but that's their choice and I respect it. We all have to do what we believe is right.

 

[unkadug]

Blackfish is a real documentary and it is being honored accordingly. Other documentaries are not bring "passed over". Stories We Tell just won the LA Film Critics Award, for example, and The Act of Killing has won a few recent honors. There are enough awards to go around, believe me.

Buddy, you are in the entertainment business. Do you not think that a lot of these "awards" are self-serving?

 

[BuddyThomas]

I hope awards are given out for legit reasons. But I have no control over them at all.

 

[culturenthrills]

So now Cheap Trick becomes the 4th band to pull out of Bands, Brew and BBQ. What a PR nightmare this is for SeaWorld. The thing that irks me is that the only people these bands are really hurting is there own fans. So what are you gonna come play the House of Blues or the Hard Rock and charge people $50-100 to see you and not come close to selling out or offer Groupon's to fill the place up. I would love to know in these online petitions how many people from the Central Florida area signed them. And don't get me started on the hypocrisy of the fact that many of these groups have played SW or Busch before and had no problem taking the money then. Who new that the way Blackfish would really hurt SeaWorld would be artists cancelling concerts which really helps the animals. What a bunch of hypocrites

 

[919Florida]

Very well said photoginit. What drives me crazy is the anti cap groups are the ones organzing and telling their followers to sign these pettions and they are doing it in mass and the musical acts think these people are their fans and in turn they are not. These people probably could not tell you one song these people sing. The other thing is these musical groups are on their way out of the lime light and they are wanting to cash in on all the press this is going to give them. They are a bunch of has beens

In other news Gabriela Cowperthwaite said in an interview yesterday she is heartened and inspired that her movie is causing this. How sick!!! The only people hurt by the bands dropping out and the money not coming in the parks is the animals. Really wish I could talk to this lady in person. I cant understand how she is proud of what she has done.

I really hope SeaWorld is able to bring in some even better people and I will make sure along with my other SeaWorld friends that we buy from them and show our thanks for them being there.

 

[luv]

Very well said photoginit. What drives me crazy is the anti cap groups are the ones organzing and telling their followers to sign these pettions and they are doing it in mass and the musical acts think these people are their fans and in turn they are not. These people probably could not tell you one song these people sing. The other thing is these musical groups are on their way out of the lime light and they are wanting to cash in on all the press this is going to give them. They are a bunch of has beens

In other news Gabriela Cowperthwaite said in an interview yesterday she is heartened and inspired that her movie is causing this. How sick!!! The only people hurt by the bands dropping out and the money not coming in the parks is the animals. Really wish I could talk to this lady in person. I cant understand how she is proud of what she has done.

I really hope SeaWorld is able to bring in some even better people and I will make sure along with my other SeaWorld friends that we buy from them and show our thanks for them being there.

She isn't really proud of that. She's happy about it because these statements of hers make her money.

She knows it can't go on forever and she's striking while the iron is hot. She will ride this wave and then show people something else that should outrage them. It's been done before.

And if Sea World has less money to help marine life, she couldn't care less.

This is not about the animals. It's about her making money.

 

[Walt would be]

She isn't really proud of that. She's happy about it because these statements of hers make her money.

She knows it can't go on forever and she's striking while the iron is hot. She will ride this wave and then show people something else that should outrage them. It's been done before.

And if Sea World has less money to help marine life, she couldn't care less.

This is not about the animals. It's about her making money.

Another very astute and excellent post. Money talks and, well, you know...