When whales are in tv programmes like free willy how are they taught to play the part?

Question: When whales are in tv programmes like free willy how are they taught to play the part?
- Keywords:
  act,
  film,
  free willy,
  train,
  training,
  trick,
  tv,
  whale
Asked by charlottefi to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 15 Jun 2012.
- Joanna Cruden answered on 15 Jun 2012:
  
  Most of the animals used for films are captive bred. The whale that played Free Willy was called Keiko and he was a captive whale, but after the film they tried to set him free but he refused to leave a Norwegian bay he made his home in spite of the people trying to coax him out!
  With animals like whales the training usually takes advantage of natural behaviours.
  
  They are taught in the same way as any other animals are, by building trust, playing with them, treats, rewards, encouragement and patience and not punishing them for mistakes and repeating the process but making it fun.
  
  Killer whales in captivity have been known to kill their trainers and are pretty dangerous to work with.

Question: When whales are in tv programmes like free willy how are they taught to play the part?