Movies

Steven Soderbergh decided to make a ghost story. He also wanted to play the ghost

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A couple of years past, a specter resided in Steven Soderbergh‘s Los Angeles abode – a fact I myself can vouch for, having once cat-sat for the renowned filmmaker and his wife, Jules Asner. One fateful night, while minding the furry brood, I witnessed an apparition – or so it seemed – strolling from the bathroom into the bedroom, with nary another soul present at home. It was only later that Soderbergh and Jules uncovered the chilling truth: a woman had met her end within those walls in the late 1980s, apparently taking her own life. This eerie encounter served as the inspiration for “Presence,” a hauntingly beautiful film that marks one of Soderbergh’s most introspective works to date.

In a chat during the final stages of his movie “Black Bag” in London, director Steven Soderbergh, aged 62, reminisces, “We named our ghost Mimi.” As we talk for an hour and a half, it’s clear that the holiday season is far from the minimalist, contemporary office space. Renowned for movies such as “Traffic,” “Erin Brockovich,” and “Magic Mike,” Soderbergh seems relaxed yet attentive. He ponders, “I wonder if Mimi disapproves of us living in her house?

Despite not meeting Mimi in person, she served as inspiration for “Presence” (releasing January 24), a film about a family who move into a house haunted by an unidentified spirit. This is Soderbergh’s second project with screenwriter David Koepp, who also penned 2022’s “Kimi” and March’s “Black Bag.” The narrative, with roots in the 1944 film “The Uninvited,” follows the haunted house genre. Interestingly, the camera, controlled by Soderbergh himself (often working under the pseudonym Peter Andrews), shifts to the perspective of the spirit throughout the movie, offering a unique viewpoint on the genre that culminates in a surprising twist at the end.

Soderbergh recalled that he provided David with a brief outline: a vacant house containing an object, the camera perspective was at eye level as if viewed by a person, and a Realtor was showing the house to a family. He then said, ‘Come up with something.’ David expanded on this basis, even creating the ending, which I hadn’t initially conceived. I had a vague notion of who or what the presence could be, but he managed to catch me off guard.

Story of ‘Presence’ is not your typical ghost tale meant to scare; rather, it delves into the complexities of a disconnected pair, Rebekah (Lucy Liu) and Chris (Chris Sullivan), and their teenage offspring Chloe (Callina Liang) and Tyler (Eddy Maday). The parents’ relationship appears strained, although the reasons remain unclear. Struggling to fit in at school, Tyler resorts to bullying his sister Chloe, who is still mourning the loss of her best friend. Director Soderbergh likens the supernatural element to a Trojan horse, as it serves to expose a family on the brink of disintegration and distress.

He expresses, “This might be the most straightforward thought I’ve ever had.” He continues, “In essence, the camera serves as the spirit; it doesn’t get any more basic than that.” Furthermore, he adds, one of the perks of this occupation, which he considers the best job anyone has ever created, is not always understanding why you’re doing something at a particular moment. It just seemed like a sound idea.

As a movie enthusiast, I had the pleasure of experiencing “Presence,” a film that Steven Soderbergh financed and produced independently before it was picked up by Neon following its world premiere at last year’s Sundance Film Festival – a process remarkably similar to his 2020 release, “Let Them All Talk,” which found a home on HBO Max post-production rather than being studio-born.

The director himself admits that self-financing has its limitations, but he views it as a lucrative venture for those daring enough to take it on. He often finds himself juggling smaller projects like “Presence” with larger-scale productions such as the upcoming “Black Bag,” which Focus Features will distribute.

As a film enthusiast, I’d admit that neither option appeals to me permanently. These creative avenues often intertwine in intriguing ways, sometimes in ways I wouldn’t expect. Truth be told, my primary goal is to seek out new experiences, and the experience I’ll embark on next should ideally contrast with the one I’ve just completed – a process where the new creation effectively erases the old.

Stephen Soderbergh had full creative control over the project, as the funding source allowed him to do so. Not only did he serve as both director of photography and editor, but this unique concept demanded an unprecedented closeness between him and the actors. As he explains, “I was often right beside them because I was running the camera, but it was different this time. I was truly immersed in the scenes with them, so any mistake on my part would spoil the shot. This added another layer of performance pressure for me.

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At the 40th anniversary celebration in Park City, new films by directors such as Steven Soderbergh, Ryan Fleck, and Anna Boden provided an abundance of exciting genres for the festival’s enjoyment.

The movie was quickly made in Los Angeles over just 11 days, starting from September 2023. Soderbergh directed it while keeping his small team hidden within the house since he was frequently moving between rooms. He employed a Sony A7 camera attached to a Ronin stabilizer, which he approximates weighs around 12 pounds.

Although it might not feel too heavy initially, after holding it for about eight minutes away from my body, my arms stiffen up and I start to tremble. To prevent myself from freezing up completely, I had to discover small, subtle movements during the extended scenes. This was especially important in maintaining proximity to the family without causing any issues since standing still for too long was problematic.

The director admits the challenge of undertaking this project seems rather absurd, and with a hint of embarrassment, he confesses, “Initially, it didn’t seem daunting. But as we moved towards longer shots, I began to understand that perhaps, yes, I could have benefited from some extra physical preparation.

In preparation, each scene was carefully planned out, deciding where and how the camera would be directed to capture authentic movements for the given scenario and character of the ghost. Soderbergh reviewed playbacks of each rehearsal to make sure the actions were in line with the scene’s essence and his portrayal of the spectral figure, who exhibits peculiar reactions such as concealing himself behind Chloe’s clothes in her wardrobe or gliding up and down the stairs looking for family members. The scenes unfold like individual episodes, separated by black screens between them – “little plays,” as Soderbergh puts it, each offering a glimpse into the family’s emotional struggles and the ghost’s nature. With minimal retakes needed, once a good performance was achieved, it was captured effectively.

If this strategy doesn’t pan out, there’s no backup plan. I can’t correct it later. The idea either had to succeed or the movie wouldn’t work. Yet, I felt quite certain that it would work. We discussed how the concept of this gimmick could only endure for a limited period before it needed resolution, and we agreed 90 minutes was an ideal length. Part of the enjoyment was that the audience had to stay alert. You must create the context based on the hints we were providing.

To successfully operate the camera as if it were a character, Soderbergh found it necessary to balance precise coordination with complete silence. To avoid disturbing the film scenes with his footsteps, he opted for a pair of black nylon slippers equipped with rubber soles for traction. He moved stealthily around the house, holding the camera out in front of him, occasionally maintaining continuous shots for as long as 10 minutes. The choice to wear these slippers served a practical purpose but also meant putting aside his cherished lucky boots – a pair of well-worn Red Wing work boots that he’s worn on every production since “Haywire” in 2011 (he’s wearing them during this interview).

He admits that he isn’t generally a believer in superstitions, but found himself thinking, ‘These are my fortunate boots and now I won’t have them anymore,'” he explains. “Every morning on set, I had to move them aside before donning my slippers.

Soderbergh, whose mother was a parapsychologist, surprisingly doesn’t subscribe to the belief in ghosts. Having been raised in the South and surrounded by individuals deeply interested in paranormal experiences, he has had firsthand exposure to various claims of hauntings. Nowadays, his faith in supernatural occurrences aligns more with reality TV shows like A&E’s “Celebrity Ghost Stories,” where famous personalities share their accounts of brushes with the afterlife.

He states quite sincerely, “These tales are rather extraordinary,” he notes. “The Jeff Ross story, in particular, is quite unsettling.” Upon meeting the comedian, the director had inquired about this very topic.

He implies that Jeff Ross was still holding onto whatever it was, his words suggest. When someone asks me about ghosts, all I can honestly say is that I think Jeff Ross was speaking truthfully. Based on my personal life experiences, that’s as far as I am able to go in believing. I trust the people on that show are not fabricating the truth.

Even as a child, Soderbergh didn’t identify with his mother’s profession. It seemed to him that she was on the periphery, while his academic father garnered more of his affection and attention. For quite some time, the director resisted acknowledging the similarities he shared with both parents.

He admits that he strongly identified with his father’s character growing up, but as he matured and took on the dual roles of parenting and working in a creative field, he realized the significant influence of his mother’s traits on his life and persona. Working on this project allowed him to immerse himself in her personality for the duration of the film, creating an experience that felt much like one of his mom’s movies. He regrets that she isn’t around to appreciate the final product.

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Following a captivating view of Andrew Patterson’s first film, “The Vast of Night,” renowned director Steven Soderbergh initiated contact with the young filmmaker. Their subsequent conversation revolved around shared inspirations and future endeavors.

After his groundbreaking 1989 film “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” won at Cannes, Steven Soderbergh’s career has taken many turns. He’s directed heist movies like the “Ocean’s Eleven” series, sports dramas such as “High Flying Bird,” suspenseful films like “Contagion,” and a sci-fi remake of “Solaris” starring George Clooney. He even won an Oscar for directing “Traffic.” However, the smaller-scale and quick-produced film “Presence” seems to hold more importance for Soderbergh than some of his big-budget projects.

Speaking as a film enthusiast, I find myself remarking, “Each of these projects is like a single point on a timeline, but this one feels significantly larger.” It served as a treasure trove for ideas and emotions I hadn’t had the chance to explore previously. In my creative journey, such expansions often happen intuitively. It wasn’t until I began discussing it and delved into why and from where these elements emerged that I truly grasped its significance. While creating, one is primarily focused on making it the best it can be, not necessarily considering if it reflects personal feelings towards a loved one, such as my mother.

Pauses thoughtfully, reflecting, “It seems Orson Welles once remarked, ‘I am the bird, you are the ornithologist.’ In essence, I’m attempting to embody the role of the bird.

Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender’s film “Black Bag” wasn’t as personal for him, but still kept him hooked. The movie presented unique hurdles that director Soderbergh wanted to tackle, particularly two crucial dinner parties key to the storyline. These extended sequences posed a challenge, which he meticulously addressed with creative solutions such as crafting a specially designed table featuring a hole in the center for both himself and the camera.

He admits that the dinner-table scenes were somewhat nerve-wracking for him: “Can we successfully execute these two dining table sequences?” he queries. However, he jokes about the anticipation surrounding these scenes, saying, “I’m certain everyone is thrilled to hear this and eagerly awaiting the dinner-table scenes. But in all seriousness, the main concern was having a solid script and producing a commercial Hollywood film featuring well-known actors.

Last year, Steven Soderbergh completed and edited “Black Bag” and has already begun working on his next project, “The Christophers,” set to film in London next month. This upcoming movie is a humorous take on an art forger, penned by Ed Solomon, and features Ian McKellen, James Corden, and Michaela Coel. Soderbergh is also teaming up with Koepp for another film, though he remains tight-lipped about the plot details. Despite his impressive workload in Hollywood, Soderbergh describes himself as “feeling quite lazy” due to his talent for delegating tasks effectively.

He mentions that he doesn’t have to worry about overseeing every small detail in the art department because they’re already meticulous. Instead, his focus should be on being meticulous with his job responsibilities, which involve planning how to direct a scene once filming begins. If you choose your crew as carefully as your actors, there are many things you can achieve effectively.

According to Soderbergh, Mimi the ghost may no longer be present in his house as he suggests, “I believe she’s gone.” He adds, “If she decides to sue me over this film, it would indicate that she’s still around.

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2025-01-15 14:32

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