*Director, producer, and co-writer Josh Webber drew inspiration for “Dog Patrol: Operation Santa Paws” from a surprising source: his dog.
“The original inspiration truly came from my dog, Athena. I was walking around with her one day, and everyone wanted to take photos and videos. And I just thought to myself, boy, oh boy, this dog is a star.” Webber recalled. That encounter, combined with a conversation with a distributor, led him to envision a dog-centered Christmas adventure.
The film follows Samuel (Paxton Kubitz) and his loyal dog Athena as they face off against a cunning mob boss to save Christmas for their town. Sheriff Jacobs, portrayed by Oscar-winning Cuba Gooding Jr., joins their quest, providing essential courage and heart. When asked about developing the bond between Samuel and Athena, Webber explained:
“Athena has always been a people’s person and an open spirit. So I knew that if I put her in a room with anyone that she would connect with. The young boy, Paxton, who plays Samuel, he’s got fantastic energy. So they really just jive together.”
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Webber described casting Gooding Jr. as an exciting opportunity: “Cuba came through my partner on the film, Tony Mercedes. He’s good friends with him. I have always loved Cuba as an actor. I always felt like he’s a top-tier talent. When I found out that we were able to get him for this thing, I was quite excited. And just working with him, he’s truly incredible. He thinks off the cuff. He’s very much a collaborator. He adds his own flair to every aspect. He’s just a great guy in general.”
Balancing suspense with holiday warmth presented its own challenges. “I think that’s my general instincts as a filmmaker… I like mob movies, I like crime thrillers. I think we found a really unique comedic element to the mobsters to make them very friendly and likable, very much like in Home Alone, where those guys are pseudo-mobsters. They’re not really mobsters, right? They’re more like just low-level crime guys, but they have this New Yorkish mobster feel,” Webber said. He emphasized that these comedic antagonists enhance the dynamic between the characters, especially the kids and Athena.
Music also played a pivotal role in shaping the film. “One of the most rewarding aspects of creating this particular film was realizing the power of music by way of working with famed music composer Randy Edelman…It was only until I got the chance to see the film with the new score that made me realize, like, wow, this is incredible because this is true form cinema,” Webber said, highlighting Edelman’s impact on elevating the film’s cinematic quality.
Webber hopes audiences take away a deeper message of family and perseverance. “The message is to never give up on seeking the key to life…he loses his dog, and the only thing he wants for Christmas is for his dog to come back. He doesn’t care about anything monetarily. I think that’s something that people can remember and take with them.”
The ensemble cast also includes Richard Portnow, Glenn Plummer, Robert Miano, Mars Callahan, Kaitlyn Raymond, Joseph Baena, Ludovica Frasca, Kylie Marshall, and Santiago Ramirez. Produced by Tony Mercedes and Henri Penzi, with Christina Cooper and Michael Girgenti as co-producers, “Dog Patrol: Operation Santa Paws” is now available to rent and purchase on Apple TV, Prime Video, and other major digital platforms.
Watch our full interview with Josh Webber below.
*This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
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