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Gail Mancuso has had an incredibly prolific television career, the Emmy Award-winning director helming episodes of Roseanne, Modern Family, 30 Rock, Scrubs… The list goes on and on. Chances are if you can think of a sitcom, Mancuso has directed an episode or two. With A Dog’s Journey, Mancuso now makes the leap into features, ably emulating the style and tone of the first film. A Dog’s Journey isn’t an easy film to get right, veering from slapstick comedy to melodrama often within the same scene, but Mancuso somehow makes these disparate parts feel of a whole – a testament to her experience behind the camera.

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A Dog’s Journey picks up right after A Dog’s Purpose – Ethan (Dennis Quaid), now wed to his love Hannah (Marg Helgenberger), lives happily with her, his granddaughter CJ, and (of course) his reincarnating dog, Bailey (Josh Gad). But after CJ’s taken away by her alcoholic mother, Ethan sets Bailey on a new mission through his various lives: find and protect the little girl.

In the following interview with director Gail Mancuso, she discusses the testing process on A Dog’s Purpose, transitioning from television to features, and emulating the look of the first film. For the full interview, watch above.

  • What was the testing process on A Dog’s Purpose?
  • What changed from these screenings?
  • What was the transition from television to features like?
  • How much did Mancuso look to emulate the style of the first film (A Dog’s Purpose)?

For more on A Dog's Journey, be sure to check out these relevant write-ups:

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Image via Universal
a-dogs-journey-betty-gilpin
Image via Universal
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Image via Universal