Lesson Plan: Debate the Future of Film — Streaming Windows and the Local Cinematic Ecosystem

Hook: Turn your students' frustration with fragmented industry news into a live, high-stakes classroom debate

Higher-education instructors in film and media studies know the pain: students read scattered headlines about streaming, theatrical closures, and studio deals but lack a compact, evidence‑based space to test arguments and practice media literacy. This ready-to-run debate lesson uses the 2026 Netflix theatrical-window controversy as a central case study and connects the issue to the realities of the Danish cinematic ecosystem. It gives instructors everything needed—briefs, research paths, grading rubrics, and live‑stream and local press activities—to run a rigorous, practice-oriented debate that trains economic reasoning, policy analysis, and cultural argumentation.

Why this matters now (2026)

In early 2026 the debate over theatrical windows intensified after Netflix’s senior executives publicly discussed fixed theatrical windows as part of the company’s broader studio strategies amid discussions around a major acquisition. Public reporting showed competing proposals—one executive point‑estimate of a 45‑day window and other outlets suggesting a 17‑day window—and those differences fuel practical questions for cinemas, distributors, festival programmers and public policy makers. For Danish students and institutions, the stakes are local: how will distribution shifts affect independent cinemas, festival premieres, and the cultural visibility of Danish films at home and abroad?

Lesson overview: Objectives & outcomes

This lesson is built for a 2–3 session module (flexible for single‑day intensives). Students will:

• Analyze theatrical-window policy as an economic and cultural instrument.
• Debate competing stakeholder perspectives using contemporary evidence (box office, subscription trends, policy statements).
• Produce policy memos and public commentary tailored to Danish industry audiences.
• Practice live engagement techniques: Q&A, timed rebuttals, and public outreach via live streams or campus screenings.

Case study background: Netflix, theatrical windows, and the news cycle

In the media coverage around Netflix’s strategic moves in late 2025 and early 2026, company leaders publicly discussed maintaining theatrical releases while exploring shorter theatrical exclusivity periods. One reported remark—"We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45‑day windows"—became a flashpoint for debates about studio responsibility to cinemas versus streaming ROI and subscriber growth. Other industry reports suggested Netflix might consider shorter windows, such as 17 days, depending on the title and market. These mixed messages make the company a perfect real‑world test case for classroom debate: the facts are contested, and stakes are concrete for local markets like Denmark.

"We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45‑day windows," — public comments by a top Netflix executive, reported in early 2026.

Danish industry snapshot (2026): What teachers should know

Denmark’s film ecology blends strong public support (via the Danish Film Institute), a commercial multiplex network, several independent arthouse venues, and a lively festival circuit. Two practical points for classroom context:

• Programming diversity: Danish arthouse and festival programmers rely on theatrical exclusivity to generate media attention, reviews, and word‑of‑mouth—especially for auteur and documentary titles.
• Exhibitor economics: local chains and independent cinemas still get a significant share of specialist film revenue from theatrical runs and event screenings (Q&A, retrospectives), making window length a real revenue lever.

Use the Danish Film Institute (DFI) newsroom, national broadcaster DR culture reporting, and statements from local exhibitors and distributors as primary sources for Denmark‑specific class materials.

Pre‑class materials & readings (curated pack)

Assign these to students before the debate. Provide PDFs, links, and a short briefing pack in your LMS.

1. Contemporary news articles summarizing Netflix’s 2025–26 statements on theatrical windows (NYT / Reuters / industry outlets).
2. DFI position statements and Denmark’s cultural policy documents on film distribution (official DFI site).
3. Box office and streaming metrics: comparative charts for theatrical windows, opening weekend importance, and platform subscriber trends (industry reports from 2024–2026).
4. Academic articles on cultural policy and platform economics (selected excerpts).
5. Local coverage: DR Kultur and prominent Danish trade interviews with exhibitors (for real local quotes and concerns).

Debate format & student roles (ready to use)

This exercise works best with 6–8 formal roles. Assign teams two weeks in advance so students can prepare evidence.

• Studio Executive (Pro‑short window) — Argues for shorter windows to maximise global opening impact and convert theatrical interest into subscriptions.
• Independent Distributor (Pro‑long window) — Emphasises theatrical runs for discovery, marketing, and cultural prestige.
• Cinema Owner/Exhibitor — Focuses on cash flow, concession revenue, and event programming.
• Cultural Policy Maker / DFI Officer — Frames distribution as public policy with cultural outcomes and funding instruments.
• Union or Creators’ Representative — Argues for creative compensation and visibility for directors/actors.
• Audience Advocate / Student Representative — Raises access, pricing, and language/subtitling issues relevant to Danish learners and immigrant communities.
• Moderator / Journalist — Manages time, asks public‑interest questions, and reads live viewer questions for public events.

Position briefs (one‑paragraph starters)

Give each role a short public brief—one paragraph summarising the core claims plus two suggested evidence sources. Example:

Cinema Owner — "Short theatrical windows reduce foot traffic, lower concessions income, and shrink the local cultural calendar. Use exhibitor revenue breakdowns, interviews with local Danish cinemas, and examples of titles that gained traction through extended theatrical runs." Suggested sources: local box office case study, DFI exhibitor statements.

Session timeline (2–3 class meetings)

Below is a modular plan instructors can adapt to class length.

1. Session 1 — Framing & research (90–120 min)
   • Instructor mini‑lecture: industry context & 2026 developments (15–25 min).
   • Team assignment and role briefing (15 min).
   • Library & data sprint: students locate evidence and build a 2‑page position memo (rest of class).
2. Session 2 — Formal debate (90–120 min)
   • Opening statements (3–5 min per role).
   • Cross‑examination rounds (3 rounds, 10–15 min each).
   • Audience Q&A (include live‑streamed questions if invited guests or public).
   • Closing statements (2–3 min per role).
3. Session 3 — Debrief & public outreach (60–90 min)
   • Instructor & peer feedback against rubric.
   • Rewrite memos into two public artifacts: an op‑ed and a 3‑minute video summary for social sharing.
   • Optional: Live‑stream a short panel with a local exhibitor or DFI rep; students moderate.

Judging rubric & assessment criteria

Use a 100‑point rubric for clarity. Share with students before they prepare.

• Evidence quality (30 pts) — Use of primary data, local Danish sources, and up‑to‑date 2024–2026 industry reports.
• Economic reasoning (20 pts) — Clear link between policy and revenue models (exhibitor shares, PVOD economics, subscription LTV).
• Cultural/policy arguments (20 pts) — Attention to access, diversity, cultural value, and national policy implications.
• Presentation & rhetoric (15 pts) — Structure, clarity, timing.
• Q&A defense (15 pts) — Ability to respond to cross‑examination with evidence.

Evidence pack: what students should prepare

Require teams to submit a short evidence packet (2–4 pages) including:

• Box office charts for comparable titles (domestic Danish and international openings).
• Streaming performance indicators where public (viewership reports, top 10s, subscriber growth snippets).
• Local exhibitor statements and press clippings from DR or major Danish newspapers.
• Policy texts: DFI guidance, relevant EU notices, and any national legislative responses to streaming and platform consolidation.

Multimedia & live‑learning extensions

Make the lesson multimedia‑first to match student expectations and the danish.live mission.

• Host a live stream of the debate or the post‑debate panel using campus channels or danish.live event tools; invite local cinema managers.
• Use short clips (30–90 seconds) under fair use for evidence: international trailers, exhibitor ads, and festival Q&A snippets. Teach students how to cite timestamps.
• Language learners: create subtitles in simple Danish and English. Assign roles to present in Danish for advanced learners to practice industry vocabulary.
• Local press roundup: as a live exercise, have students compile a 5‑minute “local press roundup” of Danish coverage and present it before the debate to ground the discussion in national context.

Classroom logistics & legal notes

Plan these operational details in advance:

• Obtain campus rights for screening clips or use short extracts under fair use guidelines; consult your institution's copyright office for duration limits and classroom exemptions.
• Accessibility: provide livestream captions and downloadable transcripts.
• Time zones & guests: when inviting industry insiders from other countries, schedule sessions mindful of Danish local time.

2026 trends & future predictions instructors should discuss

Connect the classroom debate to broader media futures to prepare students for careers in policy, exhibition, and distribution.

• Hybrid windows are the new baseline: expect negotiated windows tailored by title and market rather than one‑size‑fits‑all approaches. (See platform release strategies coverage.)
• Micro‑theatrical models: more eventized runs—short theatrical engagements combined with creator appearances and immersive tie‑ins—strengthen local cinemas' value proposition.
• Regulatory attention: increased scrutiny of platform consolidation in European markets will influence distribution bargaining power; Danish cultural policy may adapt support mechanisms for local exhibitors and festivals.
• Data leverage: platforms' use of granular audience data will complicate how distributors price and time releases; privacy and transparency will be classroom talking points. Consider creative automation and data literacy modules when preparing students (creative automation).
• AI and personalised marketing: studios will increasingly deploy AI to tailor release strategies by market segment—an advanced topic for student critique. Explore AI-assisted microcourse models to scaffold student work.

Scenario mapping: short windows vs long windows — local impacts

Use scenario mapping as a quick in‑class activity. Provide 3‑year projections under both scenarios and let students predict outcomes on five axes: exhibitor revenue, festival premieres, local film visibility, ticket pricing, and audience access.

Example short summary:

• If windows shorten: faster funneling to streaming may lower theatrical revenue but increase global reach; festivals and arthouse cinemas must pivot to curated events and value‑added experiences.
• If windows stay long: reliable theatrical windows preserve local presences and media cycles but may reduce the speed of global monetisation for studios.

Class deliverables: what students should produce

Each team should submit:

• A 2–4 page position memo with citations (PDF).
• A 500‑word op‑ed targeted to a Danish audience (DR Kultur or a student newspaper style).
• A short 2–3 minute video summary suitable for social sharing with captions in Danish/English.

Assessment rubric in practice (sample feedback language)

When returning grades, use actionable feedback: "Good use of DFI figures (Evidence 27–29), but broaden sources beyond industry trade press to include audience survey data. Tighten economic claims by showing exhibitor revenue splits vs. subscription LTV calculations."

Instructor notes: adapting for remote or hybrid delivery

• Run debates asynchronously with discussion boards where teams post recorded opening statements and peers post timed rebuttals.
• Use live polling tools during debates to capture audience sentiment and make the classroom a civic simulation.
• For language learners, scaffold role briefs with vocabulary lists (e.g., "window," "PVOD," "LTV," "market window").

Final reflections: pedagogy that connects industry, culture, and civic engagement

Debating theatrical windows is not just an exercise in binary economics; it is a way to practice translating industry strategy into cultural consequences and public policy. Students learn how a distribution choice ripples across exhibition, festival life, creative compensation, local employment, and national cultural visibility—especially in a compact market like Denmark. By combining contemporary reporting, Danish primary sources, live‑streamed local voices, and clearly scaffolded roles, this lesson converts fractured headlines into meaningful civic learning.

Actionable next steps for instructors

1. Download the one‑page role briefs and rubric from your course repository and adapt the local evidence list to current Danish press.
2. Reach out to a local cinema manager or DFI contact to serve as a guest panelist—offer a short honorarium or institutional credit.
3. Schedule a live‑streamed post‑debate panel and promote it through your institution and danish.live channels to attract public engagement.

Closing call to action

Try this lesson in your next module and share the outcomes: post student op‑eds, debate recordings, and a short summary of lessons learned on danish.live. Tag the piece #StreamWindowsDK so we can build a library of classroom experiments and real‑world responses from Danish cinemas, distributors, and policy makers. Together we can turn classroom debates into community insight and shape the future of film in Denmark and beyond.

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