live classfilmstudent engagement

Live Class: Critiquing a Franchised Slate — Student Responses to the Filoni ‘Star Wars’ List

UUnknown

2026-02-16

9 min read

Turn Filoni-era Star Wars debate into a hands-on live class: students pitch alternatives and marketing plans for the new film slate.

Hook: Turn Fan Frustration into a High-Impact Learning Event

Students, instructors, and film-program coordinators: if you’ve felt overwhelmed by the controversy and uncertainty around the new Filoni-era Star Wars film slate, you’re not alone. That frustration is a teachable moment. Organize a focused, live, instructor-led franchise critique class where students present creative alternatives and full-blown marketing strategies for the new projects. This event converts opinion into craft—research, ideation, testing, and measurable campaigns—so learners gain portfolio-ready work and instructors get a repeatable class event.

Why Run a Live Critique of the Filoni Slate in 2026?

Early 2026 brought a major transition at Lucasfilm and a fresh slate led by Dave Filoni that sparked debate among fans and industry watchers. Coverage like Paul Tassi’s Jan 2026 Forbes analysis highlighted mixed reactions to the new lineup. That mixed reaction creates an ideal real-world prompt for students studying media strategy, franchise management, or film production.

Running this as a live class event addresses key learning goals and industry pain points:

Real-world relevance: students critique an active, highly visible franchise rather than hypothetical case studies.
Cross-discipline skills: combines narrative design, budgeting, marketing, and audience analytics into one deliverable.
Portfolio outcomes: students produce presentations, one-sheet pitches, and marketing playbooks they can show employers.

Learning Objectives

Design your session around measurable outcomes. By the end of the class event students should be able to:

Perform a concise SWOT analysis of a major franchise announcement.
Create a viable creative alternative that respects brand equity and production constraints.
Design a multi-channel marketing strategy with KPIs tied to distribution windows (streaming, theatrical, hybrid).
Deliver a 10-minute pitch and defend creative and commercial choices in a moderated Q&A.

Session Format: Live Class + Public Event

Use a hybrid model: live, instructor-led critique with student presentations and an invited industry panel (producers, marketers, and a fan-rep moderator). Structure the event like a studio pitch day to simulate professional stakes.

Recommended timeline (3 hours total)

00:00–00:15 — Instructor brief & quick context update (set the canonical facts about the slate and 2026 developments).
00:15–00:30 — Student teams present a one-slide franchise analysis (SWOT + 1-line positioning).
00:30–01:45 — Team presentations (10 min each + 5 min panel Q&A; up to 6 teams).
01:45–02:15 — Breakout workshops for immediate revisions based on panel feedback.
02:15–02:45 — Rapid-fire marketing showcase (each team delivers a 3-minute marketing sprint: social concept + sample ad creative + KPI plan).
02:45–03:00 — Instructor debrief, learning takeaways, and next steps (publishing assets, festivals, or portfolio prep).

Pre-Class Preparation (Instructor Checklist)

Set expectations and reduce friction by giving students a prep pack 7–10 days before the event:

Brief one-page summary of the Filoni-era slate and links to authoritative coverage (e.g., industry articles from Jan 2026).
Templates: 1-slide SWOT, 1-slide creative logline, 1-slide marketing sprint, 1-page budget estimate.
Grading rubric and Q&A topics from the panel (workshop will be more productive when teams know the evaluation criteria).
Recommended research sources: box office comparables (2020–2025), Disney+/streaming viewership trends, social listening tools, and fandom community hubs.

Student Deliverables: What Each Team Must Prepare

Limit deliverables to what can be presented concisely and iterated on during the live event. Each team should produce:

One-slide SWOT for the announced project(s).
One-paragraph creative alternative (logline + 3 beats that differentiate from existing projects).
One-page production estimate with target budget band (low, mid, high) and suggested format (film, limited series, anthology).
Marketing sprint: 3 pillar channels (social, experiential, partner), 3 sample creative assets (headlines + visual concept), and 3 KPIs.
Presentation deck with 8–10 slides max and a 60–90 second showreel or moodboard if possible.

Assessment Rubric (Use This)

Share a clear rubric so students know how their work will be evaluated. Example criteria (100 points):

Creative clarity and originality — 25
Brand alignment and risk awareness — 20
Commercial case and budget realism — 15
Marketing strategy and measurable KPIs — 20
Presentation delivery and responsiveness to feedback — 20

Sample Creative Alternatives (In-Class Examples)

Provide three demonstrative alternatives to guide students. These are intentionally distinct so teams can pick or combine elements.

1. The Force-Adjacent Anthology

Premise: A low-to-mid-budget anthology series exploring corners of the galaxy that don’t require Skywalker-level spectacle—smaller stakes, richer world-building, and tight budgets. Each episode or short arc focuses on different themes: lawlessness, exile, myth, or science.

Why it works: Reduces visual-SFX cost, taps into proven appetite for grounded stories (Andor example), and serves streaming with binge-friendly episodes.
Marketing hook: “New Corners. New Heroes. Same Galaxy.” Target niche fandoms and genre communities with behind-the-scenes microdocs and short-form video campaigns.

2. A Character-Driven Two-Hour Film Series (Low-Risk, High-Depth)

Premise: Instead of tentpole spectacles, produce character-focused films that offer emotional stakes and clear arcs—one film per key secondary character introduced in series like The Mandalorian.

Why it works: Leverages existing IP recognition, lower marketing burn due to built-in fandom, and theatre/streaming hybrid release to test box office resilience.
Marketing hook: “Discover the story you thought you knew.” Use character-led experiential pop-ups and localized fan screenings to generate grassroots momentum.

3. Experimental Immersive Project (AR/Live Event Integration)

Premise: A limited-run immersive experience combining AR companion app content with a short episodic drop. Designed to monetize superfans with premium live events and digital collectibles.

Why it works: 2026 shows increasing appetite for experiential IP activations and premium fan monetization. Can be scaled regionally and tied to calendar events (Force Day).
Marketing hook: Early-access passes sold via fan-lounge pre-sales, with social-first content to drive FOMO.

Marketing Strategy Blueprint (Actionable & Measurable)

Students must translate creative choices into a measurable strategy. Use this blueprint during the live marketing sprint.

1. Audience Segmentation

Define three tiers:

Core fans: superfans engaged in fandom communities and lore. KPI: pre-sales, membership sign-ups.
Adjacent fans: genre audiences open to sci-fi and fantasy. KPI: view-through rate, conversion from trailers.
General mass: wider audiences reached via mainstream media. KPI: reach, box office footfall or new subscriber acquisition.

2. Channel Mix & Creative Examples

Short-form video: 15–30s character micro-narratives optimized for Reels/TikTok. KPI: completion rate & share velocity. See fan engagement tactics.
Influencer partnerships: Tiered creators—top-tier for mass reach, micro-creators for authenticity. KPI: engagement per dollar.
Experiential: regional pop-ups and AR filters. KPI: ticket revenue, dwell time — pair with payment and ticketing toolkits like a portable billing toolkit.
Earned media: embargoed journalist screenings and creator roundtables. KPI: sentiment score & share of voice.

3. KPI Dashboard (Sample)

Pre-order conversions (tickets/merch/email captures)
Trailer view-through and attach rate to subscription
Social sentiment (net sentiment score over launch week)
Retention for episodic formats (week-to-week dropoff)

Incorporating 2026 Trends & Tech

Bring current industry trends into critiques—students must propose strategies that leverage modern tools and respect current industry constraints.

AI-assisted creative testing: Use generative AI to produce multiple trailer cuts and run A/B tests. In 2026, studios rely more on rapid creative optimization before wide release.
Shorter theatrical windows & hybrid distribution: Design marketing funnels that convert theatrical buzz into streaming subscriptions while maximizing opening-week revenue.
Data-driven fandom insights: Use social listening and first-party data to find micro-communities (e.g., cosplay clusters, lore theorists) and create tailored activations.
Immersive and AR tie-ins: Create tech-enabled experiences for superfans—ticket revenue can offset marketing spend.

Case Study Suggestions for Reference

Provide students with 2–3 short case studies to model thinking. Keep public-domain facts and link to sources.

The Mandalorian — turned a character-driven, serialized format into a household hit via character merchandising and episodic cliffhangers. Useful for analyzing cross-platform momentum.
Andor — an example of risk: critical acclaim and strong subscriber retention but required patient, targeted marketing. Useful for understanding long-term subscriber value vs. opening-week box office.
Legacy tentpoles (2020–2023 era) — examine where franchise fatigue appeared and what corrective marketing or format choices helped audience perception. For lessons on platform partnerships and badges see BBC–YouTube partnership lessons.

Risk Assessment & Mitigation Planning

Teach students to think like studio executives. Every creative alternative should include a risk table and contingency actions.

Risk: Fan backlash over canonical changes. Mitigation: staged reveals, lore advisors, and community co-creation events.
Risk: Overreliance on nostalgia. Mitigation: pair legacy callbacks with fresh protagonists and clear narrative stakes.
Risk: Cost overruns on VFX-driven projects. Mitigation: early use of virtual production and tighter scope with practical effects where possible.

Instructor Tips: Facilitate, Don’t Dictate

As the instructor, your role is to scaffold and moderate. Practical facilitation tips:

Provide firm time limits and use a visible timer during presentations.
Encourage teams to iterate rapidly—use breakout rooms for 15-minute revisions.
Invite at least one industry panelist who can provide blunt, actionable feedback on commercial viability.
Record the live session and publish edited highlights—students gain publicity and recruiters can see their work.

Post-Event Extensions: Turn Classroom Work into Real-World Value

Maximize the learning ROI by turning student work into public-facing outputs:

Publish a class “whitepaper” of top proposals — useful for student portfolios and public discussion.
Submit best projects to student film festivals or marketing competitions.
Host a follow-up industry critique session to iterate proposals with professional creative teams.
Offer micro-credentials or badges for students who complete the full cycle (pitch + marketing + metrics).

“Teaching students to critique live franchise announcements gives them the rare combination of narrative empathy and marketplace literacy.” — Instructor takeaway

Actionable Takeaways (Ready-to-Use Checklist)

Prepare a 7–10 day pre-class pack with templates and rubrics.
Limit team outputs to one-slide SWOT, a logline, one-page budget, and a marketing sprint.
Structure the event with tight timing: 10 min presentation + 5 min Q&A per team.
Require a risk table and KPI dashboard for every proposal.
Leverage 2026 tools: AI creative testing, social sentiment analytics, and AR experiences in marketing plans.

Sample Prompt for Student Teams

“You are a Lucasfilm creative unit tasked with rethinking one announced Filoni-era project to maximize both critical reception and commercial sustainability. Present a creative alternative, a production budget estimate, and a 90-day launch marketing sprint with 3 KPIs. Consider hybrid distribution and fan engagement strategies.”

Final Notes on Teaching Franchise Critique in 2026

Franchise critique in 2026 is not just about gatekeeping fan opinions; it's about teaching students how to navigate complex trade-offs: creative integrity vs. commercial necessity, innovation vs. brand consistency, and short-term buzz vs. long-term world-building. A well-run live critique class converts controversy into craft and prepares students for real roles in studios, agencies, and independent creative teams.

Call to Action

Ready to run this live class? Download the instructor pack (templates, rubrics, and sample prompts) and a tested agenda you can adapt for a 90–180 minute event. Host your next Star Wars franchise critique as a public class event and help students turn debate into demonstrable skills. Contact lectures.space to get the pack and schedule a consultation with an industry-experienced facilitator.

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