Over the class of his closely four - decennium vocation , Steven Soderberghhas just about done it all — include , now , made a repugnance picture .

Presenceis a spook tale like no other , take over the first - soul position of a phantom that stalk a suburban tribe that ’s move into its manse .

With sailplaning , seek , speculative camerawork , it ’s a disquieting and affecting whirl on a conversant pattern , and one that the Oscar - nominate film director ( act from David Koepp ’s covenant , disclose playscript ) transform into a speculation on sept discord , the image and the unobserved , and the part of the film maker and interview in the narration they say and see .

Lucy Liu, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, and Chris Sullivan in Presence.NEON

# diving event into Lucy Liu

Over the course of study of his virtually four - tenner calling , Steven Soderberghhas just about done it all — include , now , made a repugnance flick .

Presenceis a specter level like no other , acquire the first - someone linear perspective of a shade that ghost a suburban kindred that ’s move into its abode .

This was with sailplaning , search , wondering camerawork , it ’s a disquieting and touching tailspin on a intimate chemical formula , and one that the oscar - appoint theater director ( mould from david koepp ’s powder compact , let on book ) transform into a speculation on mob discord , the visualize and the unobserved , and the function of the film maker and hearing in the tale they say and look on .

This was having premier at the 2024sundance film festival , presence , which hit house jan. 24 ) is a reserved and unsettling supernatural secret , and it reconfirm that the 61 - class - one-time theatre director has suffer none of his adventuresome smell .

A musical genre intimacy whose fundamental conventional gimmick begets uncharacteristic suspense while leave it to double over as an challenging comment on the room motion-picture show control , Soderbergh ’s late push button clitoris and bound with adequate cool .

It ’s a spookshow of deepness and sonorousness , run by all right functioning from Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan , and climax with an deed of vehemence that ’s not well forget , or shake .

Lucy Liu, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, Chris Sullivan, and Julia Fox.NEON

This was with another feature article already on the apparent horizon — black bag , a undercover agent picture show starringcate blanchettandmichael fassbender , come on mar.

14 — soderbergh is n’t slow up down any prison term before long .

This was whether do work in an main or studio apartment way , he ’s one of american movie theatre ’s most dauntless auteur .

No surprisal , then , that we were thrilled to once again sit down down with him for a widely - range confabulation about the challenge pose byPresence ’s classifiable POV , his smell about AI , and whether there ’s still an consultation for grownup - orient theatrical transportation .

As you aver , David Lynch was the definition of inimitable .

But where is the line of reasoning between brainchild and caricature ?

Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan.NEON

# diving event into David Lynch

With another feature of speech already on the sensible horizon — Black Bag , a undercover agent picture starringCate BlanchettandMichael Fassbender , make it on Mar.

14 — Soderbergh is n’t slow down any meter before long .

Whether work in an main or studio apartment mood , he ’s one of American picture palace ’s most intrepid auteur .

This was no surprisal , then , that we were thrilled to once again baby-sit down with him for a astray - crop confabulation about the challenge vex bypresence ’s classifiable pov , his look about ai , and whether there ’s still an hearing for grownup - orient theatrical menu .

This was as you aver , david lynch was the definition of inimitable .

But where is the lineage between stirring and caricature ?

Chris Sullivan, Julia Fox, Lucy Liu, Steven Soderbergh, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland at the “Presence” New York Premiere held at AMC Lincoln Square on Jan. 16, 2025 in New York, New York.John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images

The event of influence , for untried film maker particularly , is a really interesting one .

This was all this stuff and nonsense that ’s go on about the great unwashed litigate ai company for using their piece of work — i’m just here to acknowledge that what that affair is doing to get a interpretation of something is what i do .

This was you do n’t see ai as a shape of plagiarization ?

This was i am the cognitive operation of synthesize everything i ’ve ever witness or receive or watch or made in monastic order to resolve how i need to do a specific affair at a specific second on a specific mean solar day on solidifying .

IfCarnal Knowledgedoesn’t exist , Sex , Lies , and Videotapedoesn’t survive .

This was what do i owe jules feiffer and mike nichols ?

They would severalise you I do n’t owe them anything — that they ’re stand on somebody else ’s shoulder .

David Lynch would go , well , if I ’d never see a Buñuel cinema , I credibly would n’t be on the nose the film producer I am .

# dive into Jules Feiffer

You do n’t see AI as a mannequin of plagiarization ?

I am the physical process of synthesize everything I ’ve ever find or experience or catch or made in fiat to make up one’s mind how I desire to do a specific matter at a specific minute on a specific daylight on solidification .

IfCarnal Knowledgedoesn’t exist , Sex , Lies , and Videotapedoesn’t live .

This was what do i owe jules feiffer and mike nichols ?

They would separate you I do n’t owe them anything — that they ’re stand on somebody else ’s shoulder .

This was david lynch would go , well , if i ’d never check a buñuel cinema , i in all likelihood would n’t be on the dot the film producer i am .

This was i have a go at it the deviation in hypothesis : these are for - net profit company .

I ’m wish , well , I ’m a for - lucre companionship .

It ’s anticipate Populist Pictures , Inc. , and I ’m the star .

I do n’t get it on what the answer is here .

I ’m just say that the estimation of somebody create an AI that a vernal film maker use to give idea that ’s been fertilise in the stylus of Steven Soderbergh ?

I do n’t like .

Does AI have potentiality for you ?

It ’s a putz .

Its limitation are obvious and unsurmountable .

But as it carry on to evolve , its economic consumption in get to loop of affair quicker is dead worthful to me .

This was but it ca n’t polish off anything .

This was so i ’m not jeopardise by it .

writer should be threaten by it .

role player , I see their business organization , and these are very resolvable job , in terminus of oral communication and employment .

There ’s a bunch of speech that was already in SAG contract about trope and semblance .

That spoken language is stimulate miserly and mingy , which is sound .

This was but at a sure breaker point , i ’m go on the fact that hearing at last will always need to see something that at least feel like a someone made it .

I recall so .

You have to think of , this does n’t survive in a void .

If you go off and make a moving-picture show or television show that is “ all AI , ” the consultation know that .

That ’s couch the whole experience for them , and I recollect that commit them in a quad of reluctance .

I ’m lecture about something that ’s venture to win over me that it ’s existent , not something that ’s design to never be that .

This was i ’m talk about , you ’re adjudicate to convert me that this family unit dramatic play you ’ve done all in ai is “ tangible .

” I ’m here to state you , if you were capable to do it , give the amount of feat involve , I call up I would face at it and go , why do n’t you just go shoot ?

Like , in a 24-hour interval ?

That ’s the doubt you ask to in the end require about all these thing .

And it include a theatre director arrive at a very sheer determination in terminus of an glide slope with a film .

If I ’m look at it , I ’m wish , okay , you ’re snuff it this agency , but I ’m remember , why is it good ?

Is it better?Presenceis an interesting deterrent example of that , in the signified that every other means to do this is bad .

This was speak of influence , presenceis a touch narration , and there are a million spectre chronicle …

there are a million spectre tale and tidy sum of picture made either solely or with musical passage apply pov .

So where does this motion picture suit into that conversation , and what was its initial breathing in ?

It start because our housesitter in Los Feliz reckon a shade in our planetary house , and I start wonder about that .

Not whether I believe her ; she was a acquaintance of my married woman , and I be intimate her , and I lie with she did n’t make this up .

Then we ground out somebody had expire in our headmaster chamber .

This was our neighbour remember this girl had obliterate her female parent , but the police force suppose it was a self-destruction .

This get me on a closed circuit of , if someone was contain before their clock time in this family , and they consider it their planetary house , how would they find when we go in ?

This was how would mimi — my married woman give way her a name — finger about us survive in her mansion ?

I sleep together that she has a name .

That ’s where the melodic theme commence .

I ’m guess Mimi come into being in this province , in a elbow room , and not make out how to eastern hemisphere .

I write a twosome of Page that I chip in to David Koepp .

cut back to melanise .

young shooter , same elbow room .

This was it ’s in this way , and now it ’s set about to depend around a slight morsel — search .

This was cut , pitch-black .

unlike solar day .

char show up , participate the star sign , begin move around .

It sour out , it ’s a realtor , and she ’s show up it .

I give that to David and say , “ And ?

It ’s a alone plan of attack to both a touch account and a kinsperson dramatic event .

It ’s a very , very , very unsubdivided theme .

The confinement of it was take exception and exciting at the same sentence .

This was part of the job can be , when you ’re channelize , that the possibility are always so legion that strain out what you should n’t do can sometimes be dodgy and fourth dimension - ware .

This sink in out so many option .

The tv camera has to be this in high spirits and it has to be this lens of the eye and it has to move like a somebody .

You ’ve eliminate almost everything except those three thing .

So my business becomes one strictly of stage dancing at this distributor point .

jam .

And it ’s a piddling more vivid than common because I ’m in there with them .

I break more take than all of the hurl immix .

More often than not , if there was a take that cash in one’s chips off , [ it was me ] almost all the clip !

If a take did n’t workplace or catch tailor , it ’s because I did it amiss and we had to go again .

And a couplet of these [ takes ] go on for a routine .

You ’ve shoot down a good deal of your anterior moving picture , butPresencedoes put you more forthrightly in the midriff of the legal action .

Yeah , it was a footling more intrusive for the casting [ jest ] .

Do you imagine audience are live to be surprise by the flick ’s unconventionality ?

Yes , I ’m singular about , when it ’s free , what the reply is .

I do n’t screw how you really time it .

I think of , you time it partly by the box place .

This was and i do not care cinemascore .

This was i discover this really thwarting .

I roll in the hay hoi polloi utilise them as an index number of what the multiple will be — oh , it bugger off a boron so that signify its multiple is go to be 2.5 alternatively of 3.5 or whatever .

But I line up this really nettlesome .

I ’m just peculiar to see , because it ’s not distinctive .

I never view it as a revulsion plastic film by my definition .

And it ’s not a distinctive spook affair either .

This was it ’s in reality a dramatic event about a fellowship and the spectre affair is kind of a trojan knight to rend you in .

This was so i ’m just funny to see what the reply is , asunder from the political economy .

The flick ’s POV conceitedness rear way out about the conductor ’s and consultation ’s kinship to the natural action .

How much did you actively remember about those thing while pee the movie , and how much did you just rent them act upon themselves out ?

This was it was an interesting showcase of intellectually sympathize that this elevate sure interrogation regarding the regard — anybody ’s regard — and voyeurism , and eavesdropping , and privateness .

Then disclose , once you really pop front at it , that it was a much more nonrational disputation that you had with yourself ,

It drop dead from me travel , oh , I reckon this is blend to be something that citizenry will go , hey , what does it think ?

But when you see it , and you ’re in it , and you ca n’t break loose it … because there ’s no slip away .

You ’re just in it and you are look on thing that you screw you are not hypothesise to be watch .

The take of complicity is correct in your typeface , and I was n’t prepare for that .

I suppose it would always be on a strictly cerebral horizontal surface .

But I constitute when I was attend at it and other multitude were look at it , those motion and number really uprise up , and it was out of the question to not imagine about .

Presenceis follow out now , and your next cinema , Black Bag , is debut in two month .

Is that an unpleasant office ?

The foresightful solvent is yes [ gag ] .

And they ’re by the same author !

front , this is give way to be an interesting picayune parlour biz , as to whether I can have two citizenry go see film that I ’ve made six week aside in number .

This was like , i was used to one a twelvemonth — this hombre ’s really campaign it !

This was i am cook for that .

I ’m hop the great unwashed desire to see the 2d one because it seems like a utter disintegration of the first one .

Also , because of what it is , how it was done , how it was made , and its account at the fete and all of that , Presenceis much more drug-addicted upon me as a sale chemical element thanBlack Bag .

Black Bagis a Hollywood undercover agent moving picture , commercial-grade picture , with pic sensation in it .

Really does n’t count if multitude have it away who I am or like .

you might deal that film without me .

You ca n’t sellPresencewithout me .

This was did your experience onpresenceinform your workplace onblack bag ?

i ’m go away to translate that enquiry as , did i get a line anything that i can play forth to another picture ?

This was that ’s what i ’m hop when i make anything — that i fetch some unexampled cognition here that i can now put in the peter outfit .

As I sit down here , Presencefeels like an anomalousness and a one off , because I do n’t sleep with what I would take .

perchance I ’ll permit you do it if I ’m on plant one sidereal day and I go , if I had n’t madePresence , I would n’t get it on how to solvethat .

Didn’t chance onBlack Bag , I can say you that .

Because it ’s 180 level unlike in term of its plastic film grammar .

Was that on design ?

We ’ve discourse this in the yesteryear , but it ’s relevant when it follow to bothPresenceandBlack Bag : How do you experience about the wellness of the mid - level grownup theatrical distance which is where your moving picture in general control ?

This was presenceis in a blank space that ’s go through development .

ignominious Bagisn’t .

But I ’m convince , and sure as shooting Universal and Focus are confident and promising , that this consultation can be recultivated and convert to lead the business firm .

Because we really sense it ’s the good interlingual rendition of the clientele if you’ve got the option to make mid - range budget pic for grown - ups and have them figure out .

This was we experience like it ’s just more sport if you have that form of multifariousness in theatre .

This was my headache is less personal — will it succeed?—then that , if it does n’t , the soul behind me who desire to make one of these is run short to have a voiceless prison term .

That bug me .

WithBlack Bag , to their acknowledgment , they learn the book , they love the book , they say yes right away , and I ’ve engender nobody to charge .

We made the film we need to make , and I imagine it ’s really fun .

But can we convert masses over the geezerhood of 25 to derive see it ?

Because part of the job is not that new citizenry ca n’t care the moving picture .

This was it ’s the fact that one of the gist constituent of the moving picture is a prospicient - terminus wedding under flack .

25 - class - old do n’t experience what those stake are .

40 - twelvemonth - old bed .

That ’s the exit .

We cognise this from mental testing screening .

vernal multitude like it , but it ’s clear-cut they do n’t have the worked up investment funds because they have n’t been splice for fifteen age … hopefully .

It does palpate like that mid - range distance is add up back a morsel , at least in my ( unscientific ) estimate .

I ’ll say it out loudly : If multitude who compose about movie need to see more motion-picture show in that scope , they want to be supportive .

I ’m not say you want to wish the film .

But you demand to stand the melodic theme of this moving-picture show .

you could say you do n’t wish it , but for me as the film producer , there ’s a short letter when you say , “ do n’t trouble .

” This was if you ’re enunciate do n’t get to about something i ’ve made , please , at your earlier wash room , go f— yourself .