We often go to watch killer whale shows without thinking twice about what really

happens behind the scenes. As an audience, we simply enjoy the show, and then leave.

But behind all the tricks and splashes, lies an ugly truth about the state of killer whales at

theme parks. In the documentary Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, killer

whales are naturally affectionate, harmless to humans, and strongly family-oriented.

However, when held captive in unnatural environments, killer whales will show a

malfunction in behavior, causing injuries and deaths of trainers. The techniques used to

show this are communicative function and illumination theory of truth.

To begin, the first technique used in this documentary is communicative function.

Communicative function is implemented to inform viewers of the message the

documentary is trying to convey. In the context of the documentary, the evidence and

statistics prove the danger that comes with captivating killer whales. For example,

Tilikum, the famous orca at SeaWorld, killed three killer whale trainers. This technique is

used to inform the viewers of the violent behavior demonstrated by captivated killer

whales. This technique allows us to observe the aggressive behavior shown by the orcas

towards its trainer. In this documentary, an OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health

Administration) expert stated, “what we learned, is that they are amazingly friendly and

understanding and intuitively wants to be our companion. And to this day, there is no

orca doing harm to a human in the wild” (Duffus, 24:18). In contrast, whales are more

violent when placed in an unnatural environment, causing them to attack their trainers.

This technique allows us to see the drastic difference in behavior and consequences of a

killer whale living freely compared to one that is restrained to a small pool. Furthermore, the countless reports of killer whale trainer accidents at SeaWorld are another example of

communicative function. The filmmakers use this technique to inform the audience of the

danger that is created by the killer whales. This technique helps to inform the viewers that

orcas attacking their trainers are not a one-time incident, but a continuous trend due to the

habitat and conditions they are forced to live in. A former SeaWorld trainer reported, “I

believe it is seventy plus, maybe even more of just killer whale trainer accidents,” (Berg,

49:20) This quote proves that the behavior of captivated killer whales is more hostile as

compared to how they naturally are. Locking them in a small pool compared to the ocean

will only create a negative effect such as the unnatural behavior demonstrated through

shows at SeaWorld, ultimately increasing the risk of danger for trainers.

In addition, another technique used in Blackfish is the illumination theory of truth.

Illumination theory of truth is utilized to help viewers gain insight, be enlightened, and

understand the message of the documentary. In the context of Blackfish, the truth of the

accidents exposed and the contradictions shown demonstrate the consequences of putting

killer whales in unnatural environments. For example, former SeaWorld trainers voiced

over the fatality of Dawn Brancheau during her show with Tilikum at SeaWorld. The

former SeaWorld trainers described the events that took place and their opinions on it.

This technique is used to show viewers the truth about the accidents. Many times,

SeaWorld would blame the trainers instead of the killer whales, when in reality; the killer

whales cause majority of the accidents. In the case of Dawn Brancheau, SeaWorld had

accused the trainer of not putting her hair in a bun, and that if she had done so the

accident would not have occurred. This technique helps us fathom the reason as to

why these accidents occur, and it helps us understand the behavior of killer whales that

are captivated. Moreover, another example would be the accidents played right after the

documentary shows a commercial from SeaWorld. This technique is used to show us that

SeaWorld is far from what their commercials say they are. The truth is expressed through

this technique by constantly contrasting with the commercials throughout the

documentary. An example of this would be a commercial from SeaWorld promoting

Tilikum being a friendly killer whale, followed by the death of a visitor caused by

Tilikum who stayed past closing hours. The continual contradictions shown in Blackfish

help enlighten the issue of putting creatures that are meant to swim freely in little pools

that they can barely fit in. This will cause them to feel provoked which leads to death and

injuries of trainers.

In conclusion, the techniques used to show the message of this documentary were

communicative function and the illumination theory of truth. Killer whales were never

born a killer, however, placing them in an unnatural environment will make them become

one. A place like SeaWorld, that makes millions by entertaining visitors with “trained”

marine animals, is putting trainers at risk by denying these enormous, majestic creatures

their freedom.