Free Essay with the BP Oil Spill Documentary Evaluation

After viewing this documentary, several people come out as the most convincing. One of these people is Dong Brown, a former chief mechanic in Deepwater Horizon. I find him to be convincing because he offers explanations the touch on his professional experience and he does not comment on topics beyond his scope.

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For instance, Brown comments about the number of days BP took to drill the oil, relative to the standard operating procedures in the industry. For example, when he explains that BP started drilling oil 90 days behind schedule, and hurried the drilling to save money and time, even a layman is able to foresee dangers into such a move.

I also find Dr. Riki Ott to be convincing because she is a Marine Toxicologist, therefore, has the professional license to comment about the way that bacteria, as well as the dispersants, react with the crude oil. Her insight regarding how the oil sinks to the bottom after being broken up by the bacteria is convincing because she not only has the experience but also speaks about what could be considered to be average knowledge regarding the behavior of bacteria.

Lastly, I find the makers of the documentary to be convincing too because they back most of the allegations with satellite images, charts, photographs, and video footages (Anthro Media 1). These additional sources of proof add credibility to their research and comments and can be used by any interested parties to conduct further research.

I do suspect some bias among some of the interviewees. One of these suspects is Tony Hayward, a former CEO of BP. Despite his professional knowledge and experience, he endorses the move by BP and the Coastguard to spray thousands of gallons of dispersants in the ocean to break down oil. He should know that such a move would only prevent the oil from reaching the beaches but also destroy marine life at the bottom of the ocean. However, he chooses to speak only on the immediate procedures and ignores the long-term ramifications.

In essence, Hayward prefers to engage in Public Relations management strategies rather than engage in what his professional experience demands. I also suspect some of the lawyers such as Mike Papantonio because I believe that his strategy is aimed at raising mass hysteria in order to whip the public opinion and channel the anger towards hefty payments by BP shell whereby he would make a fortune. While he may not be covering any wrongdoings by any party, I just suspect his motives.

To fact-check the information presented, I would do a deeper research into some of the data and information. This would help me get detailed knowledge of some of the issues discussed in the film. I would also conduct a second interview on some of the respondents. For instance, a second interview on the fishermen could reveal whether they hold the same sentiments about drops in fish catches or their opinion was based on mass hysteria immediately after the oil spill.

In general, this is an excellent documentary because it offers various perspectives on the impact of the oil spill and offers authoritative sources to back up the subject matter. Moreover, the narration is important in the interpretation of some of the data and facts gathered without being overly dominant in the film. I find the documentary to be informative, thought-provoking and insightful.

Work Cited

Anthro Media. "Profit Pollution and Deception BP and the Oil Spill BBC Documentary." 1 Nov 2013. Youtube. 6 Non 2018. Web.