The Busiest Man in Lucasfilm [00:10] Host Andi Gutierrez introduces Dave Filoni as probably the busiest guy in Lucasfilm, keeping her introduction short to maximize their time together on stage. Filoni walks out to roaring applause and takes a seat. [01:28] Gutierrez asks Filoni what his life has been like over the past few years while constantly cranking out stories that make the fans so happy. [01:46] Filoni expresses his gratitude, stating that he loves what he does and works with great people. He notes his current massive workload, which includes working with the animation team on The Bad Batch and Tales of the Jedi, collaborating with Jon Favreau on The Mandalorian, and continuing Ahsoka’s story, which he points out he has been doing for 18 years. He shares that a deeply rewarding part of the current production is that many of the younger crew members working on the Ahsoka series actually grew up watching The Clone Wars and Rebels. He notes that when Natasha Liu Bordizzo walks out as Sabine or Rosario Dawson steps on set as Ahsoka, the entire crew just stares in awe before remembering they have to get to work. Directing Animation vs. Live Action [03:41] Gutierrez asks what has surprised Filoni the most regarding the differences between directing animation and live action. [03:50] Filoni credits George Lucas for preparing him exceptionally well for live action, explaining that Lucas taught him the language of cinema and editing while working on The Clone Wars. This foundation made the digital tools and tech used on The Mandalorian feel incredibly familiar. [04:47] Filoni notes that the biggest difference between the mediums is the finality of live action. In animation, he has months to go back and alter a character’s posture, expression, or background lighting. In live action, you are capturing a concrete, living moment. He adds a bizarre detail about his daily routine, explaining that because Dawson arrives so early for her extensive makeup process, he rarely actually sees her as herself. “I see Rosario Dawson a few times in the shoot, but I see Ahsoka Tano every day,” Filoni remarks. Respecting the Expanded Universe [06:40] Gutierrez points out that they are now pulling characters from books, video games, and toys into live action—like Cobb Vanth and Krrsantan—and asks how he approaches bringing those elements into a new medium. [07:00] Filoni acknowledges the importance of the Expanded Universe, specifically citing Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire as a critical piece of Star Wars history that filled the gaps for fans. He emphasizes that they handle these characters with the utmost respect to ensure they remain faithful to their origins, noting that he will be the first person to veto using a character if the adaptation forces them to change too much. [08:05] He praises the casting of Natasha Liu Bordizzo, remembering that the moment he first saw her as Sabine, he knew the casting was excellent. Filoni transitions into discussing Ming-Na Wen’s animation experience voicing Fennec Shand in The Bad Batch, noting that Wen is a big deal in every world she enters. He describes his love for jumping back and forth in the timeline to figure out a character’s history, such as having a younger Fennec encounter Cad Bane. He compares the interconnected storytelling to “having an ultimate toy box and you pull out Fennec and you say you’re going on an adventure today.” The Creative Process with Jon Favreau [15:30] Gutierrez asks how Filoni and Jon Favreau approach Star Wars together to consistently push it into new territory. [15:44] Filoni admits there is no grand philosophy to their process, explaining that they simply map out ideas on a whiteboard. However, he reveals that he is always working on a massive overarching architecture that bridges all of the different series to keep the timelines properly aligned. The Responsibility of Legacy Characters [16:20] Filoni opens up about the tremendous responsibility of handling iconic legacy characters, specifically Luke Skywalker. “Without Luke, where are we? There’s nothing,” Filoni states. Because Luke is one of George Lucas’s original creations, Filoni explains they had to be incredibly careful with everything he said and did. He details how important it was to have Mark Hamill involved and right next to him on set, sharing insights from past conversations with Lucas to ensure the portrayal was completely authentic. He proudly adds, “Grogu was well trained by the great Luke Skywalker.” Where is Ezra? [17:25] Gutierrez laments that they are running out of time and jokes that they didn’t even get to cover where Ezra Bridger is. [17:52] Filoni grins and decides to finally give the audience an answer, teasing, “I’ll tell you where he is. He’s far, far away.” Gutierrez thanks Filoni for his time, wrapping up the interview to massive applause from the crowd.