The Cove Analysis
Man’s Other Best Friend
Every day we encounter various types of information. Some of it we retain, while some simply passes through our mind, never again to be recalled. Some of that information may be of interest, some not so much. However, what plays the biggest role in sending information across to one’s audience is the presentation that portrays that information. This is the determining factor as to whether the audience will retain the information or simply pass by it. The documentary, The Cove, by Louie Psihoyos certainly presents its information in such a way. Director Psihoyos does an excellent job of presentation in a way that stimulates thought and affection, both of which, during the course of the film, convert many animal rights activists to join his cause and support the save-the-dolphin movement.
The film’s initial approach to the viewers is based off some information. This begins with providing facts to the viewer. Not difficult or complex information, just some simple percentages and general locations that the common person will easily understand. It begins to draw the viewer into the film. Piquing their interests and natural curiosity, it then dives in and presents some disturbing statistics on the dolphin slaughter occurring globally, particularly in Taiji. For example, viewers see an alarming figure that each brutally caught dolphin can bring as much as $150,000 each. And that 23,000 dolphins a year are being slaughtered, until recently when the number dropped only because of the drop in the dolphin population. Statistics like these get the cogs in the brains of people moving. They serve the purpose of waking people up and provoking thought. The large scale of these slaughters moves people to consider the seriousness of the situation and to take a small step towards joining the save-the-dolphin movement.
Psihoyos also slowly presents footage related to the capture of the dolphins. He shows the anti-whaling demonstrations in Europe and other
Every day we encounter various types of information. Some of it we retain, while some simply passes through our mind, never again to be recalled. Some of that information may be of interest, some not so much. However, what plays the biggest role in sending information across to one’s audience is the presentation that portrays that information. This is the determining factor as to whether the audience will retain the information or simply pass by it. The documentary, The Cove, by Louie Psihoyos certainly presents its information in such a way. Director Psihoyos does an excellent job of presentation in a way that stimulates thought and affection, both of which, during the course of the film, convert many animal rights activists to join his cause and support the save-the-dolphin movement.
The film’s initial approach to the viewers is based off some information. This begins with providing facts to the viewer. Not difficult or complex information, just some simple percentages and general locations that the common person will easily understand. It begins to draw the viewer into the film. Piquing their interests and natural curiosity, it then dives in and presents some disturbing statistics on the dolphin slaughter occurring globally, particularly in Taiji. For example, viewers see an alarming figure that each brutally caught dolphin can bring as much as $150,000 each. And that 23,000 dolphins a year are being slaughtered, until recently when the number dropped only because of the drop in the dolphin population. Statistics like these get the cogs in the brains of people moving. They serve the purpose of waking people up and provoking thought. The large scale of these slaughters moves people to consider the seriousness of the situation and to take a small step towards joining the save-the-dolphin movement.
Psihoyos also slowly presents footage related to the capture of the dolphins. He shows the anti-whaling demonstrations in Europe and other