Rob Stewart Sharkwater Documentary Techniques

Sharkwater and Food, Inc.

Sharkwater is a 2006 documentary film written, directed, and narrated by Rob Stewart. The purpose of the film was to assess current attitudes about sharks and expose how the shark hunting industry is causing them to become extinct. Filmmaker Robert Kenner, directed the 2008 documentary, Food, Inc. It studies and examines corporate farming in the United States. Both documentaries give a closer, in-depth view at two different industries that most people are unaware of.

Sharkwater exposes the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations while Food, Inc. reveals realities about what we eat, how it is produced, who we have become as a nation, and where were are going from here. (PBS) The filmmakers

of Sharkwater travelled to some of the richest shark populations in the world in the marine reserves of the Cocos Island in Costa Rica, and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador to uncover the inhumanity that was taking place. (Sharkwater). Destruction of shark populations is a major problem for oceanic ecosystems, and all life on earth, as 70% of our oxygen comes from life in the seas. Stewart’s journey of courage and determination changes from a mission to save the world’s sharks into a fight for his life, and that of humankind. (Top Documentary Films)

Sharkwater helps to prove the point that without sharks, our oxygen levels would be disturbed.

Not only would one of the oldest living creatures on Earth become extinct, but humans would also be affected. Rob Stewart (Sharkwater’s filmmaker) and activist Paul Watson are leading the efforts to protect sharks. Because there are no international regulations to protect sharks, 1.5 million sharks were killed over the course of six days when long line fishing was legal in the Galapagos Islands. During the filming of the documentary, Stewart and Watson helped to make long line fishing in the Galapagos Islands

illegal.
The filmmakers of Food, Inc.

interviewed experts in the field of food production and farmers all over the country. There were three different segments in the film. The first explored the industrial production of meat, calling it inhumane and economically and environmentally unsustainable. The second portion looks at industrial production of grains and vegetables. The last section is about the economic and legal power and the promotion of Americans unhealthy food consumption habits. They also told the story of Barbara Kowalcyk, whose two-year-old son died from eating a hamburger contaminated with E. coli. Each of the interviewees had a different story to tell about the industry and each person helped to expose more deceit in the industry of corporate farming. They determined that agribusiness in the United States produces food that is unhealthy and environmentally destructive and abusive to both animals and personnel. An article on PBS’ website stated “As recounted in this sweeping, shockingly informative documentary, sick animals, environmental degradation, tainted and unhealthy food and obesity, diabetes and other health issues are only the more obvious problems with a highly mechanized and centralized system that touts efficiency — and the low costs and high profits that result from it — as the supreme value in food

production.”
Both documentaries are very similar in their purpose: the filmmakers wanted to shed light on something that people were uninformed about. In my opinion, both films did an excellent job of giving a first hand view at the cruelty that was taking place. Sharkwater gave a closer look at the treatment of sharks and Food, Inc. even went into farmhouses so that people could grasp the filthy living conditions of chickens that were being abused.
In contrast, the two documentaries differed in the way that they were filmed. The makers of Sharkwater were very proactive in their approach. The filmmakers were arrested, almost put in jail, and had to flee the country at one point. Food, Inc. had a much more conservative approach. They received permission to interview each of their participants and in my opinion, it was more professional and put together. On the other hand, I enjoyed watching Sharkwater more so than Food, Inc., because there was so much action and movement. They storyline kept my attention and made me want to keep watching to see what would happen next.
In closing, both documentaries effectively inform the general public about topics that are usually ignored or overlooked. Sharkwater helped to explain the reason as to why sharks are becoming extinct and gave a closer look at the misunderstood world of sharks. Most people are afraid because of the way that the media portrays sharks, in movies such as Jaws. In reality, sharks rarely bite humans. Food, Inc. gave the public a first hand view at the conditions that our food is being mass-produced in and explained reasons as to why Americans are becoming increasingly more obese. Without these documentaries, we may have not been as aware of these subjects as we are today.