Intimacy coordinator

An intimacy coordinator is a staff member who ensures the well-being of actors who participate in sex scenes or other intimate scenes in theater, film and television production.

Function

According to Intimacy Directors International, a nonprofit organization founded in 2016 by Alicia Rodis that advocates for the function, an intimacy coordinator is expected to ensure that:[1]

  • all staff and actors are aware of the context of the intimacy as part of the story,
  • communication about the intimacy takes place among participants and avenues for reporting harassment are available,
  • actors continually consent to all scenes of intimacy,
  • all scenes of intimacy are performed according to a previously agreed-to choreography, and
  • actors are encouraged to mark the end of each intimate scene with a moment to signal the return to real-life interaction.

The role of intimacy coordinator is not to be confused with that of an "intimacy choreographer", who specializes in the techniques of staging intimate scenes.[2]

History

Demand for the role grew in the U.S. entertainment industry after the 2017 Weinstein scandal and the Me Too movement highlighted the often routine nature of sexual harassment and misconduct in the industry. Actors such as Emily Meade began to demand professional safeguards for their well-being on set, noting that given the structure of power in a production, actors (particularly young, inexperienced ones) might otherwise not feel able to speak up if directors, staff members or other actors disregarded their consent or previous agreements regarding intimate scenes.[3] In 2017, the London talent agency Carey Dodd Associates fronted a campaign for an industry standard in handling scenes of intimacy using guidelines developed by Ita O'Brien.[4]

In October 2018, the television network HBO adopted a policy of using intimacy coordinators for all its series and films with intimate scenes.[5] Intimacy coordinators and intimacy workshop teaching best practices for intimate scenes were also beginning to be used in London theaters as of 2018.[6]

In January 2019, Netflix released Sex Education, its first production that used an intimacy coordinator, Ita O'Brien.[7]

Further reading
  • Hegarty, Siobhan (2 May 2020). "From Normal People to Game of Thrones, sex on screen matters for actors and audiences alike". ABC News (Radio National - The Minefield). Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
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References
  1. "Pillars of safe intimacy: Rehearsal and performance practice" (PDF). Intimacy Directors International. 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  2. Collins-Hughes, Laura (15 June 2017). "Need to Fake an Orgasm? There's an 'Intimacy Choreographer' for That". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  3. Kerr, Breena (24 October 2018). "How HBO Is Changing Sex Scenes Forever". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  4. Snow, Georgia. "Call for new 'Intimacy Director' role to safeguard actors in sex scenes". The Stage.
  5. Martinelli, Marissa (29 October 2018). "HBO Will Use "Intimacy Coordinators" for All of Its Sex Scenes". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  6. Strick, Katie (2 May 2018). "How an actors' workshop is establishing the rules of intimacy on stage". Evening Standard. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  7. "'Sex Education' Star Asa Butterfield Says Working With Intimacy Coordinator Helped Cast "Find Our Boundaries"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
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