Presence marks the first collaboration between screenwriter David Koepp and director Steven Soderbergh, who also served as cinematographer and editor for the film. He added his unique touch to the Supernatural Thriller, shooting it from the perspective of a ghost haunting a house.
Soderbergh and Koepp have a long-standing professional relationship, and they collaborated on Presence to bring Koepp’s screenplay to life.
Soderbergh was inspired by a personal experience. While he and his wife were away from their Los Angeles home, their house sitter saw a ghostly presence. It walked down the hallway. This incident, merged with Soderbergh’s upbringing around paranormal phenomena (his mother was a parapsychologist), and his father an academic; a potential recipe for an intellectual punch up. This difference informed Steven’s worldview of the possibility of the existence of entities that couldn’t be easily defined or explained.
Soderbergh wanted to explore a ghost story from the ghost’s perspective. He aimed to capture the eerie feeling of being watched. The emotional turmoil of the family being haunted was also a focus. The film uses a unique first-person point of view. It confines the setting to a single house. These elements were designed to create a sense of intimacy and tension. Soderbergh even performed as the presence himself, using a small digital camera and wearing slippers to soften his steps.
David Koepp once lived in a big, creaky old building in Langham New York City. One night while he was watching television, he saw a figure moving down the hall. His son also observed similar sightings so it wasn’t his imagination. It was time to move.
Following their similar supernatural experiences decades earlier, Sobderbergh reached out to Koepp to discuss his haunted house idea. “It all takes place in one location. Weird stuff happens. A family starts to fall apart. I think you’ve hit all my personal obsessions,” explains Koepp.
Presence relies heavily on loose structure not strictly tethered to the traditional three act paradigm. Much of the story embraces mood and tone underpinned by a subtle lingering dread.
The screenwriter proceeded to write a twenty page treatment for the contained, time-constricted thriller. “It’s 24 hours. It’s all in the same house. It restricts your thinking and therefore opens up your thinking,” notes Koepp.
Soderbergh inserted the Presence into his camera and told the story from its point of view. First as an observer, then as a perpetrator of harm – all without it ever being seen or heard. That’s the elusive nature of the spirit world. We’re unsure what it wants. It moves from room to room monitoring the distressed family.
In spite of the intrinsic challenges involved in making the main character a ghost, Koepp found the challenge liberating. “Steven had intimated that the character for the POV is skittish. It’s a little fearful — hides in the closet a lot,” says Koepp. “Using those cues, I viewed the ghost as a child. I tried to write it the way a small child is; a little fearful and also curious. You are writing a character, but don’t see them,” he continues.
This approach offers a fascinating and eerie viewing experience, as the audience sees everything through the ghost’s eyes.
The film explores themes of grief, family dynamics, and the supernatural. The ghost, or Presence, struggles to understand its existence and its connection to the family. The medium character in the film helps to uncover the mystery. It reveals that the ghost doesn’t even know why it’s there. The unique perspective and the gradual revelation of the ghost’s identity make Presence a compelling and thought-provoking film.
It’s not just about scares. It delves into the emotional and psychological aspects of the characters. It also examines their interactions with the supernatural. The Presence witnesses the growing cracks within the family.
The ghostly Presence becomes a silent observer of these cracks. It feels a connection to the family’s growing discord. Yet, it also feels helpless. The film poignantly captures moments where the family members’ vulnerabilities and unresolved issues come to the fore.
The story revolves around the Payne family, who move into a new house. The family consists of Rebecca (Lucy Liu). She is a driven executive. Her husband is Chris (Chris Sullivan). They have a teenage son, Tyler (Eddy Madday). Their daughter is Chloe (Callina Liang), who is grieving the loss of her best friend2. Chloe is the first to sense the presence of the ghost. It is revealed to be her brother Tyler. He died saving her from a dangerous situation.
Let’s dive deeper into how “Presence” portrays the emotional landscape of the Payne family through the ghost’s perspective
Key Visual and Emotional Elements:
Rebecca’s Late Nights: The camera shows Rebecca working late at night, illuminated only by the cold light of her laptop. The room around her is dark, emphasizing her isolation. The ghost sees her frustration and exhaustion. Rebecca’s distant, overworked demeanor creates a tangible barrier between her and her family, heightening the sense of disconnect.
Chris’s Struggle: The scenes often frame Chris in doorways. This symbolizes his attempts to reach out. He is always just on the threshold of understanding Chloe and supporting Rebecca. Chris’s silent frustration and efforts to bridge the gaps in the family are clear. The ghost observes Chris’s silent anguish and growing helplessness, adding to the tension.
Chloe’s Isolation: Chloe is often seen in dimly lit, confined spaces like her room or the attic, emphasizing her isolation. Her movements are slow and deliberate, reflecting her heavy emotional state. The ghost senses Chloe’s deep grief and guilt over Tyler’s death. Chloe’s whispered conversations with the ghost reveal her longing for closure and her struggle to cope with her loss.
Tyler’s Presence: Flashbacks of Tyler are shown in warmer, more vibrant colours. These flashbacks contrast with the colder tones of the current. This contrast highlights the loss and the void he left behind. The ghost’s perspective often blurs the line between past and current, showing Tyler’s lingering impact on the family. This evokes a sense of longing and unfulfilled connections.
Symbolic Moments: The ghost sees the recurring image of a broken clock in the house. This symbolizes the family’s fractured sense of time. It also reflects their lack of continuity after Tyler’s death. The camera focuses on a family portrait. Over time, it gradually fades and distorts. This process mirrors the disintegration of the family’s unity.
Sound and Atmosphere: The film uses a subtle, haunting soundtrack that intertwines with the ghost’s perspective, creating an immersive atmosphere. The lack of a corporeal presence for the ghost is emphasized by the eerie soundscapes that follow its observations.
These elements combine to create a profound exploration of the Payne family’s dynamics. It is hauntingly portrayed through the eyes of the ghost. The film uses visual storytelling to allow the audience to experience the characters’ struggles intimately.
How does Presence compare to A Ghost Story
A Ghost Story and Presence both offer unique takes on the ghost film genre, but they differ in several ways:
Focus and Perspective:
- Presence focuses on the ghost’s emotions and experiences. It provides depth to the ghostly character. This creates a narrative centered around the spirit’s journey.
- David Lowery’s A Ghost Story takes a more philosophical and contemplative approach. It follows the spirit of a recently deceased man who remains in his house. He observes the passage of time and the lives of those who come and go. The film explores themes of time, memory, and existence.
Storytelling Style:
- Presence has a more traditional narrative structure, with a clear plot and character development. It balances eerie moments and emotional depth, making it an engaging supernatural thriller.
- A Ghost Story uses a more experimental and art-house approach. It features long, meditative shots and minimal dialogue, creating a slow-paced and introspective atmosphere.
Emotional Impact:
- The emotional impact in Presence comes from understanding the ghost’s backstory and the connection to the living characters. The film evokes a sense of empathy for the ghost.
- The emotional impact in A Ghost Story comes from broader existential questions. It also comes from the haunting portrayal of time and loss. The film leaves viewers with a reflective and thought-provoking experience.
Visual and Auditory Elements:
- The cinematography and sound design in Presence are used to create a creepy and unsettling atmosphere. These techniques enhance the supernatural elements of the story.
- A Ghost Story‘s visual style is characterized by its use of a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, giving it a nostalgic and intimate feel. The minimalist soundtrack adds to the contemplative mood.
Both films offer unique and compelling experiences, but their approaches to storytelling, emotional impact, and visual style set them apart.
Presence provides a fresh take on the haunted house genre. It focuses on the ghost’s perspective. A Ghost Story takes viewers on a philosophical journey through time and memory.
SEE: Dear David – The perfect ghost story for our times
Steven Soderbergh is a highly acclaimed film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. He is known for his versatility and has worked across various genres, from independent films to big-budget Hollywood productions. His directorial breakthrough came with the indie drama Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989). It won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. This achievement made him the youngest solo director to get this honor. The film also garnered worldwide commercial success and many accolades. Soderbergh built his reputation with films like Out of Sight (1998) and Erin Brockovich (2000). He also directed Traffic (2000), which won him the Academy Award for Best Director. He also directed the popular Ocean’s trilogy (2001-2007) and the Magic Mike trilogy (2012-2023). Throughout his career, Soderbergh has been known for his innovative approach to filmmaking, often employing unconventional techniques and storytelling methods.
David Koepp is screenwriter and director. He is highly successful. He is known for his work on some of the most iconic films in Hollywood. He has made a significant impact on the film industry with his exceptional storytelling skills. Koepp’s breakthrough came with the screenplay for Jurassic Park (1993). It became a massive hit. This success established him as a top-tier screenwriter. He also wrote the screenplays for Mission: Impossible (1996), Spider-Man (2002) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) as well, among many others. In addition to his screenwriting success, Koepp has also directed several films, including Secret Window (2004) and Premium Rush (2012). His latest collaboration with Steven Soderbergh on the film Presence” (2025) has been well-received for its innovative approach to the haunted house genre.
David Lowery‘s career began with his first short film, Lullaby, which he wrote and directed at the age of 19. His first feature film, St. Nick (2009), premiered at the South by Southwest festival and won the Texas Filmmaker Award. He gained wider recognition with Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013), starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. He continued to build his reputation with films like Pete’s Dragon (2016), A Ghost Story (2017), and The Old Man & the Gun (2018). In 2021, Lowery directed the fantasy epic The Green Knight, which received praise for its visual style and narrative depth.
