Based on Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, the feature Priscilla reunited writer-director Sofia Coppola with cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd, ASC, AFC. Their prior collaborations included the features The Beguiled and On the Rocks, both of which were photographed on 35mm negative. Priscilla, though, marked Le Sourd's first foray into digital acquisition, and he worked closely with Panavision Toronto in selecting his camera and lens package, ultimately opting to pair an Alexa 35 camera with Panavision Super Speed and Ultra Speed optics. Here, the cinematographer shares his perspective on the creative approach behind the movie's visual language.
Panavision: How would you describe the look of Priscilla?
Philippe Le Sourd, ASC, AFC: This movie is a tapestry of emotions, so you try to convey the feelings of each character. Its about how you frame it, the power of negative space, and lighting directions. For me, the essence lies in ensuring the audience deeply connects with the characters. I like to convey on each scene and each moment the essence of the emotion of the film.
Were there any particular visual references that you looked at for inspiration?
Le Sourd: In my quest to capture the essence of the Elvis and Priscilla era, I realized the abundance of references available from books to the internet and YouTube. However, instead of replicating existing images, often tinged with Kodachrome interpretations, I opted for a more innovative approach. Rather than producing a mere photocopy, I sought to create a fresh interpretation of that time.
During this process, I stumbled upon a captivating black-and-white photograph from Saul Leiter featuring a woman seated on a bed, cloaked in complete silhouette. Instantly, I knew I had found the cinematic inspiration I was seeking a departure from the conventional Elvis and Priscilla imagery.
In addition to this evocative photograph, we delved into the world of movies that held a special place in my heart and cinematic education. Having studied Italian cinema at university, my early passion was ignited by Antonionis masterpiece, LAvventura. The films framing, composition, and mise-en-sc ne profoundly influenced my perspective as a cinematographer. The portrayal of loneliness, emptiness, and the adventurous spirit resonated with me.
Our cinematic journey also drew inspiration from another Antonioni gem, LEclisse, which brought us immense joy. These films became not just references but guiding lights in shaping the visual narrative of our project.
What brought you to Panavision for this project?
Le Sourd: Panavision is a gold mine. You search for something, and you know that something antique or super modern could be there. You cant be wrong to go to Panavision. The people, the quality, the craft, the knowledge that comes from 70 years. I knew I need these craftspeople behind me.
What optical characteristics did you see in the Ultra Speed and Super Speed lenses that made them the right match for this story?
Le Sourd: This was my first movie shot on digital, so I did a lot of tests to compare formats. Even the size of the camera adds a layer to the set ambience. When you bring a piece of equipment on set, it tells a story to the actor and to the director.
I've used the Super Speed and Ultra Speed lenses on film before, and perhaps it was an unconscious decision, but they turned out to be the perfect fit for this particular story. Reflecting on it, I believe it came down to the texture they provided. There was a unique quality, a certain depth that resonated with the emotional essence of the narrative, and ultimately, that aspect held greater significance for me.
Working with digital afforded me the freedom to manipulate colors and experiment more on set. Typically, I lean towards a naturalistic approach in my work, but with Priscilla, I found it was interesting to explore the idea of color and the emotional impact of color.
How does this project differ from others in your career?
Le Sourd: Every project is different, but I think there's a continuity of the work in certain ways, a continuity of research. You never stop looking for something. Every day brings something different and challenging. Even a scene like Priscilla and Elvis' first kiss inside a car was a challenge. I needed to find something special that brought the emotion of two lovers inside a cage. So for me, it's always a challenge. I never stop thinking, Was that different?'
Images courtesy of A24.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
01/06/2026
Designed to solve a common problem in broadcasting, the automated workflow detects, identifies, removes, and documents copyrighted music
AudioShake has introdu...
01/06/2026
The sports-analytics company combines its data with proprietary AI to help leagu...
01/06/2026
Category line-up & sponsors announced
Photo: Paul Clarke
The Production Music Awards (PMA) have announced that submissions are now officially open ahead of...
01/06/2026
New hybrid sample/synthesis instrument revealed
Excite Audio have just released the latest instalment in their Evolve series, which has been developed in co...
01/06/2026
Latest TONEX expansion captures three rare vintage amps
The newest addition to IK Multimedia's ever-growing TONEX line-up introduces a set of three incr...
01/06/2026
Musically intelligent soft synth gets upgraded
Scaler Music will be probably be best known to many for their music theory tools, but their product range al...
01/06/2026
SBS confirms its broadcast sponsors for FIFA World Cup 2026
1 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS has secured Hyundai, Hisense, Macca's, Rexona, bet365, Com...
01/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz Satellite Industry Days 2026 guided by the motto From Earth to ...
01/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/06/2026
Marshall Electronics is showcasing a comprehensive lineup of next-generation POV cameras, purpose-built to power today's connected AV environments, at InfoC...
01/06/2026
Adobe Announces Concept to Vector
Deepa Subramaniam June 1, 2026
0 Comments
One of the biggest frustrations we hear from designers is how difficult it...
01/06/2026
Vampire Feature Night Patrol Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton June 1, 2026
0 Comments
Colorist shapes dark, gritty tone for horror thri...
01/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/06/2026
Mardi 2 juin 14h00
FilmLight (ARRI), 10 rue Ren Boulanger, 75010 Paris
Rejoignez-nous pour d couvrir comment FLAPI (l'API FilmLight) peut transformer e...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
31/05/2026
Olivia P rez-Collellmir to Premiere Original Work at Gaud Centennial in Barcelona The Berklee graduate and faculty member will debut her choral symphony with...
31/05/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Wins 15 Awards at the Canadian Screen Awards - See Pho...
31/05/2026
Taiwan is home to more than 500 NVIDIA ecosystem partners. More than 1 million N...
31/05/2026
As factories move from isolated automation to plant-wide intelligence, manufacturers need AI systems that can connect live machine signals, quality systems, wor...
31/05/2026
The NVIDIA AI Cloud ecosystem is accelerating the global buildout of AI factory infrastructure. Partners are expanding capacity to meet growing demand from ente...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
Based on Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, the feature Priscilla reunited writer-director Sofia Coppola with cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd, ASC, AFC. Their prior collaborations included the features The Beguiled and On the Rocks, both of which were photographed on 35mm negative. Priscilla, though, marked Le Sourd's first foray into digital acquisition, and he worked closely with Panavision Toronto in selecting his camera and lens package, ultimately opting to pair an Alexa 35 camera with Panavision Super Speed and Ultra Speed optics. Here, the cinematographer shares his perspective on the creative approach behind the movie's visual language.
