Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Presence is an experimental thriller filmed from the first-person perspective of a ghost. The film was praised upon its premiere at Sundance for its major technical achievements, as the camerawork plays a pivotal role in David Koepp’s visual storytelling. With Presence now playing in theaters, the movie is notably dividing audiences. Despite its challenges, however, the supernatural elements bring a unique and groundbreaking quality to the genre. As the concealed enтιтy takes charge, the cast of Presence becomes an incredibly important aspect of the credibility of the story.

The camera becomes a character itself, and the most important one in the narrative, at that. Presence uses a far more story-driven framework and focuses on the development of an intricate and comprehensive plot over using any cheap, shock-value tactics. This is crucial for the concluding moments of Presence to succeed, as the ghost’s idenтιтy is revealed. The final revelation is more rewarding because of the hints given to the audience throughout the film. With that in mind, the abrupt cuts to black between scenes are an important indicator of one particular feature in Presence.

The Cuts To Black Between SH๏τs Were To Indicate How Much Time Has Pᴀssed In Presence

The Cuts To Black In Presence Make For An Even More Interesting Second Viewing

Not only is Presence seen from the first-person perspective, but the camera regularly cuts to black between sH๏τs. While these initially appear coincidental, it gradually becomes clear that the deliberate technique is significantly influential. Speaking with IndieWire, Soderbergh reveals that the cuts to black are indicative of how much time has pᴀssed between scenes. Throughout Presence‘s one hour and 25-minute runtime, “sometimes they’re [cuts to black] very short, which indicates it’s almost a jump cut, which means, ‘oh, it’s been 20 minutes.’ And then sometimes they’re longer, and you realize, ‘oh, days of weeks have gone by’.”

This technique employed by Soderbergh tells a story and means the director can linger on certain sH๏τs before cutting to black. This result is certain imagery remaining in the audience’s minds, which ultimately helps to develop the narrative. Considering there is one sH๏τ per scene with no editing, simply fading to black between scenes would have been too disconcerting as there had to be regular intervals between the events that transpired. Although this is something that might not be picked up on a first-time viewing, Soderbergh believes that this tool is “really important in orienting you in the narrative.”

How Presence’s Cuts To Black Added To The Movie’s Tone

Presence’s Simple Editing Elevates The Film

Presence works much better as a thriller than a horror, and Soderbergh’s camerawork is fundamental in contributing to the movie’s tone. Happening from the perspective of the ghost means there is no demand for scares, as it’s more important to understand how the ghost navigates confusion, and how it comes to terms with its own purpose. Presence is a low-budget production, and the cuts to black are a simple and effective tool for navigating the narrative. The creators sH๏τ in sequence, which meant that there was very little editing involved in the process, which helped with a total immersion from a new perspective.

It is also important to note that Presence was sH๏τ using rather basic and inexpensive equipment — namely the Sony A7. Soderbergh’s transitions between sH๏τs had to be kept simple to align with the equipment used, but mostly to maintain the desired visual style. It meant that Presence could offer an incredibly rich narrative that was a “learning process” for the director, too. The endeavor was certainly worthwhile, as Presence successfully sets itself apart from many other films in the genre quite substantially, thanks to the cutting-edge narrative and intriguing camerawork that leaves a lasting impression on audiences.

Source: IndieWire