Daddy Daughter Trip, a heartwarming family adventure/comedy that mixes live action with animation, was filmed across Arizona with one of the stops in East Valley’s Agritopia. When Rob Schneider moved his family to Arizona two years ago, he and his wife, Patricia, also made their company Mandalini Films’ new home in Scottsdale. Here, we ask Schneider, who stars alongside his daughter Miranda making her acting debut, about the film’s local appeal and what’s up next. daddydaughtertripmovie.com
PHOTO BY JULIA KUZMENKO MCKIM
What inspired you to film the story in Arizona? My family and I are proud new residents of Arizona. We fell in love with the place and wanted to make an all-Arizona movie taking advantage of the cinematic beauty of the state. I am grateful to Arizonians for their amazing support on Daddy Daughter Trip. This movie is our thank-you card!
Why did you choose Agritopia as a stop in the film? Agritopia looks like it’s right out of Jim Carrey’s The Truman Show. It could be ‘anywhere’ USA and helps the audience settle in on a familiar place of Americana.
What do you think is a must-try at Agritopia? The Uprooted Kitchen! It’s an eatery spot that has a bunch of great choices for healthy but tasty foods… and cappuccinos, which I consume on an hourly basis.
Will you continue to film in Arizona? The plan is to make my next three films at least partially in Arizona. I just finished directing and editing my wife Patricia’s new movie for Paramount Plus, Amor es Amor, which will be released in the first quarter of 2023. I just agreed to make the sequel to The Animal (Animal 2: Old Dog New Tricks for Fox), which I will try to film here in Arizona as well.
What’s up next for Mandalini Films? Arizona has it all: incredible scenery, eight and a half months a year of favorable filming weather and a real film-friendly citizenry. The one thing Arizona is lacking is a proper Hollywood recording studio and stage for mixing film and TV shows. Mandalini is looking into bridging the gap and building a world-class recording studio.
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