The Junkyard Dogs Film Spotlight
Today’s film spotlight focuses on the feature film The Junkyard Dogs directed by Jacob Cooney.
What is the title of your film and what inspired said title?
The title of the film is THE JUNKYARD DOGS. My co-writer, Jamie Sykes, is a HUGE Chicago Bears fan, so he thought it would be fun to title the film based off the Chicago Bears of 1986. That said, it’s a fun title fitting to the film, but it also has some personal meaning.
Tell us a little bit about the story and origins of your film.
This project has been a LONG time coming. Years ago, Jamie and I were talking about what kinds of films sell in the marketplace and at the time kid’s films, specifically talking dog movies, were a hot commodity… still are, and will always be it seems, especially with the Air Bud and Super Buddies franchises.
We started looking at films that were being made at the time and ultimately devised a story idea around that. At the end of our back and forth we had come up with something we liked… something fun, exciting, adventurous… basically “Home Alone” with dogs.
From there, we set out to write the script. Once we had a strong draft, we then started to send it out to producers and production companies. That process takes forever and we had A LOT of starts and stops and changes along the way, but we finally found a home and got it made.
I’m also a father of two amazing children, so I wanted to finally make something they could watch and enjoy.
Any films or filmmakers that inspired this film?
Being a kid of the 80’s and 90’s, I have an affinity for films where the underdog prevails. “The Mighty Ducks”, “The Sandlot”, “The Goonies”, you name it. Add in the flare of cartoons I grew up with like “Looney Tunes”, and the comedy and action of “Home Alone” and you’ve got yourself the recipe for “The Junkyard Dogs”.
Jamie and I grew up with Spielberg, Donner, and the endless throng of Disney kids movies, so those films and filmmakers definitely shaped how we molded this film together.
What is the goal of the film for you?
Right now, the goal is to get the film out there to entertain kids and families… which I hope we succeed in doing.
Jamie and I also have a document filled with sequel and spin-off film ideas based on “The Junkyard Dogs”, so if this film is a success, which I hope it is, hopefully we can make more and make it a franchise like the “Air Bud” and “Super Buddies” films.
What has the journey been like getting the film into production?
Crazy…
As mentioned, the tale of “The Junkyard Dogs” began many years ago with my co-writer Jamie Sykes. After months of writing, we finally had a draft we were happy with and began to send it out. Interest in the film came flooding in, but sadly this didn’t lead to the project getting made right off the bat.
After many starts and stops, the project finally landed in the hands of producers David Gere and Chelsea Vale, who introduced Jamie and I to Verdi Productions. Immediately, we knew we had found the right home and began the process of bringing “The Junkyard Dogs” to life. As luck would have it, in the middle of pre-production, Covid hit, shutting all productions down.
Luckily, David, Chelsea, and the Verdi Team believed in the project and as soon as we could pick pre-production back up we were off to the races. A handful of shoot days, 3 crazy dogs, and a great cast and crew later, we now have a fun family film on our hands starring Denise Richards and Patrick Muldoon, with Verdi Production and VMI Worldwide releasing the film to the masses.
One thing you learned from this project?
Patience. I’ve always been a patient guy but working with animals adds a whole other layer to the equation. As always, schedules are tight, you’re chasing the light, and things don’t always go as planned, but adding animals to it, even if ridiculously trained, it just takes more time. They get tired, need a break, get focused on something off camera… it just takes a bit longer to get the shot.
It also took me a few days to get used to working with animals, but after we worked out the kinks, we were good to go.
All told, the pups and their trainer Chrissy Joy were amazing, and we all had a blast. I’d jump in and do it again for sure.
How can folks find you and your film online?
You’ll be able to check out THE JUNKYARD DOGS on August 5th on all VOD/Digital platforms worldwide. If you have kids, love dogs, and enjoy cute, fun family entertainment then it’s definitely for you!
Any last pieces of advice for fellow filmmakers?
Do what you love, tell the stories you want to tell, and do everything you can to make it great no matter the resources, budget, or timeframe you have.
Photos courtesy of Apuzzo Stills.
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