This week on The Filmmakers Podcast hosts Giles Alderson and Dom Lenoir chatted with Ashley Jay Sandberg about her impressive career trajectory and the making of Twisters.
She discussed how she went from physical production to overseeing production and TV development and also shared her insights on working with industry legends like Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg, and Kathleen Kennedy.
From physical production to creative producing
Ashley’s career began in physical production, and although she enjoyed it, she found it to be limiting. “I was working in physical production, and I got to a point where I was wondering, is this what I want to be doing? I love [it], but I also love development, set, scripts and everything that goes into getting your project into physical production.”
When she saw an opening at Kennedy/Marshall, she had to apply. And despite the entry-level nature of the job, she thought that it was important to get her foot in the door.
The role was a one-year contract with no potential, but Ashley’s hard work paid off. “Thirteen years later, I was overseeing all production and TV development.”
Working with Filmmaking Giants
Her goal was to become a creative producer and she pursued it by aligning herself with the right mentors and projects. “I always had the mindset of being a producer,” Ashley shared. It was vital for her to be efficient and effective.
She recounted her early interactions with Kathy, Frank, and Steve (as she affectionately refers to them); and emphasised the importance of staying calm and professional. “Never show any intimidation or keep it buried deep. The first time you meet people that you’ve respected and got you into the business, it takes your breath away; and then you get to work because you have a job to do.”
Making Twisters
One of Ashley’s career milestones was her involvement in Twisters. Transitioning from working on Jurassic World Dominion to exec producing her new project. Frank Marshall’s confidence in her potential was noticeable: “When it came to Twisters, he was like, ‘go spread your wings and make this film. Let’s get this done.'”
The film’s development faced several challenges, including finding the right director after writer Joseph Kosinski had to step back due to conflicting projects.
Ashley spoke about searching for a new director and how they settled on Lee Isaac Chung: “He knew how to pull the heart and to connect to the characters. And that was somewhere where it had to pivot. We have a different film than if Joe would have done it.”
Collaborating on Set and Problem Solving
During the production of Twisters, Ashley focused on the importance of teamwork and problem-solving. She reminded every member of the team that no job was too big or small: “Put your ego aside and do the work.”
Her ability to pivot situations was put to the test when production was stopped due to actor strikes and weather challenges. Filming in Oklahoma, during tornado season, requires a level of adaptability. “We filmed a very ‘outdoor’ movie during tornado season in Oklahoma so that created obstacles… we had to follow storms and think how to make up days.”
Post-Production and Editing
The post-production phase was another area where teamwork was vital.
Ashley described getting brilliant feedback from film buffs and regular audiences; and notes from the studios and Steven Spielberg, who helped with refining the film’s score and sound design: “He gave us so many wonderful notes and spent time with us in the edit. One note that he gave in the edit was about our score and sound. He suggested that we scale back on the score and hear the sounds of the tornado, and that adjustment made us feel the fear at that moment.”
Ashley Jay Sandberg’s work on Twisters reflects her ability to navigate challenges, collaborate well, and stay true to her creative vision and goals.
You can listen to the full episode, here.