Intimacy coordinator explained

An intimacy coordinator, sometimes called an intimacy director,^[1] is a member of a film or television crew who ensures the well-being of actors and actresses who participate in sex scenes or other intimate scenes in theater, film and television production. Intimacy coordinators work closely with directors, movement directors, and choreographers to help plan out intimate scenes with the actors and other crew members.^[2]

Function

According to Intimacy Directors International, a nonprofit organization founded in 2016 by Alicia Rodis, Tonia Sina, and Siobhan Richardson^[3] that advocates for the function, an intimacy coordinator is expected to ensure that:^[4]

• 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.^[5]

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. Actresses 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.^[6] 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.^[7]

In October 2018, television network HBO adopted a policy of using intimacy coordinators for all its series and films with intimate scenes.^[8] Intimacy coordinators and workshops teaching best practices for intimate scenes began being used in London theaters in 2018.^[9]

In January 2019, Netflix released Sex Education, its first production that used an intimacy coordinator, Ita O'Brien.^[10]

Industry reactions

Actors and filmmakers including Gaspar Noé, Mia Hansen-Løve, Toni Collette, Michael Douglas,^[11] Michael Caine,^[12] and Sean Bean^[13] have criticized the use of intimacy coordinators. Emma Thompson, Sydney Sweeney, Kate Winslet, Olivia Cooke,^[14] and James Gunn among others defend the practice.^[15]

Sam Levinson's 2023 TV series The Idol satirized the use of intimacy coordinators.^[16]

Further reading

• Web site: 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 . 2 May 2020 . Siobhan. Hegarty .

Sources

• Book: Pace, Chelsea . Staging Sex: Best Practices, Tools, and Techniques for Theatrical Intimacy . Taylor & Francis . 2020 . 978-0-429-94645-5 . 2023-06-29.
• PhD . Barclay . Kari . 2020. Directing Desire: Intimacy Directing, Consent, and Simuated Sexuality on the Contemporary U.S. Stage . Stanford University. .

Notes and References

1. News: Hilton . Emily . December 10, 2020 . Let's Talk About Simulated Sex: Intimacy Coordinators Two Years On . . September 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220915151358/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/lets-talk-about-simulated-sex-intimacy-coordinators-two-years-on-4101799/ . September 15, 2022.
2. News: Andrews . Travis M. . April 16, 2019 . Inside the world of intimacy coordinators, who choreograph sex scenes for HBO, Netflix and more . . September 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200723141656/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/04/16/inside-world-intimacy-coordinators-who-choreograph-sex-scenes-hbo-netflix-more/ . July 23, 2020.
3. Web site: 2018 . Meet The 'Intimacy Directors' Who Choreograph Sex Scenes . HuffPost . 4 March 2022 . 4 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220304190625/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/intimacy-directors-choreograph-sex-scenes_n_5b0d87dae4b0fdb2aa574564 . live .
4. Web site: 2016 . Pillars of safe intimacy: Rehearsal and performance practice . Intimacy Directors International . 29 October 2018 . 23 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190623170031/https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/924101_924a4af5ad7d47aa9d357d70450de14f.pdf . live .
5. News: Collins-Hughes . Laura . Need to Fake an Orgasm? There's an 'Intimacy Choreographer' for That . 29 October 2018 . The New York Times . 15 June 2017 . en . 17 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217230817/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/theater/need-to-fake-an-orgasm-theres-an-intimacy-choreographer-for-that.html . live .
6. Kerr . Breena . How HBO Is Changing Sex Scenes Forever . 29 October 2018 . Rolling Stone . 24 October 2018 . 18 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210418234257/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-features/the-deuce-intimacy-coordinator-hbo-sex-scenes-739087/ . live .
7. News: Call for new 'Intimacy Director' role to safeguard actors in sex scenes. Snow. Georgia. The Stage. 16 January 2022. 18 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220118185403/https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/call-for-new-intimacy-director-role-to-safeguard-actors-in-sex-scenes. live.
8. News: Martinelli . Marissa . HBO Will Use "Intimacy Coordinators" for All of Its Sex Scenes . 29 October 2018 . Slate Magazine . 29 October 2018 . en . 22 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210122150336/https://slate.com/culture/2018/10/hbo-sex-scenes-the-deuce-watchman-intimacy-coordinators.html . live .
9. News: Strick . Katie . How an actors' workshop is establishing the rules of intimacy on stage . 29 October 2018 . Evening Standard . 2 May 2018 . 13 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190413205025/https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/theatre/up-close-but-not-too-personal-the-intimacy-workshops-giving-actors-guidelines-for-sex-scenes-a3828901.html . live .
10. Web site: 'Sex Education' Star Asa Butterfield Says Working With Intimacy Coordinator Helped Cast "Find Our Boundaries". 20 July 2020. The Hollywood Reporter. 21 June 2020. en. 17 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210117095958/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sex-education-star-asa-butterfield-working-intimacy-coordinator-1298042. live.
11. News: Ruimy. Jordan. Michael Douglas Says Intimacy Coordinators “Take Control Away From Filmmakers”. WorldofReel. 9 May 2024.
12. News: Gearan. Hannah. “We Never Had That In My Day”: Michael Caine Questions The Need For Intimacy Coordinators On Set. Screenrant. 26 September 2023.
13. News: Yossman. K.J.. ‘Games of Thrones’ Star Sean Bean Says Intimacy Coordinators ‘Spoil the Spontaneity,’ Decries Censorship. Variety. 8 August 2022.
14. Web site: 2024-06-17 . Olivia Cooke on HOTD sex scenes and the hilarious instruction from her intimacy coordinator . 2024-07-15 . Cosmopolitan . en-GB.
15. News: Harvey. Amelia. Celebrities Who Have Spoken About Intimacy Coordinators. The Things. 13 August 2022.
16. News: Hailu. Selome. An Intimacy Coordinator Reacts to ‘The Idol’ Pilot: ‘I Felt Betrayed’ That HBO ‘Used Us as the Butt of the Joke’ . Variety. 16 June 2023.