W7
As far as whether or not one film can persuade someone to change his or her lifestyle. I absolutely think a film can do that. We watched super size me in this class and after that film was released, McDonalds did away with supersize portions. McDonalds obviously believed that a film could encourage people to change their lifestyles.
I am not sure this is the appropriate question to ask though after watching this film, at least when I look at my situation. I am a college student, and I have a meal plan. I can only eat the food that is put in front of me. I do not know for certain were Ohio University gets their food from. All I ever see is the signs posted all over the dining halls, saying, “Ohio University is one of the most vegan friendly campuses.” I don’t have the time the money or the resources to find out were the food served to me in the Shively dining hall comes from. You and I both know that that last statement is load of horseshit. The truth is none of us care enough to find out were that food came from.
The film was definitely persuasive. There is absolutely no way a person can watch that movie, and not think the food industry is out to get us. The way the filmmakers related to the audience is what made the film successful. Nobody on the side against the food industry wore a suit, and they also seemed to be living very modest lives. They also featured a family that was struggling to make ends meet. This family was very easy to relate to. The film showed haw the family had to grocery shop. It showed hoe the family was forced to buy the cheaper less healthy food because they could not afford to eat healthy. As a college student I could certainly relate to this family. I feel like I have no choice when it comes to what I eat.
Another persuasive part of the film was the organic farmer. The purpose he served was to show that it is possible for small farmers to make a profit, and be successful. Even though this small time organic farmer was operating at a severe disadvantage compared to the big time industrial farms. The farmer’s attitude also made him seem like a hero. He said he didn't want to become bigger; he did not want to expand. He felt that as soon as his farm became a bigger operation he would look at his customers a different way and his product in a different way. His values and character helped sell the film by making it seem as if most people who are fighting against the food industries’ cooperate empire had the same high level of character.
Documentary films have certainly persuaded me in the past. Hoop Dreams, a film that follows two boys path through high school as star basketball players, changed my opinion on sports. It made me feel that these children were being treated as commodities. All well made documentaries have the power to persuade, The question is does the audience have the will to act?
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