Intimacy coordinators are gaining traction in the entertainment industry, with many productions now requiring them to film and rehearse scenes that involve nudity and simulated sex. Knowing when you need an intimacy coordinator can be tricky, but with the right information and guidance, you can decide whether to bring one on board. This guide provides an overview of what intimacy coordinators do, how they can benefit production, and when you should consider bringing one onto your project.
What is an intimacy coordinator?
An intimacy coordinator is someone who makes sure all performers are able to give informed consent during a shoot involving nudity or simulated sex. They’re also responsible for facilitating communication between cast and crew, advising on barriers or modesty garments, and creating an environment that invites everyone involved with the scene to ask questions or voice concerns.
Intimacy coordinators are trained to look for any potential consent issues that may arise and act as a resource for performers before, during, and after the scene is shot. They understand the different factors that can affect someone’s ability to consent and are trained to recognize potential red flags. This means that, during a shoot, an intimacy coordinator’s main priority is the safety and well-being of all those involved.
Benefits of having an intimacy coordinator
- Pre-Production Preparation -
Intimacy coordinators are trained to help performers and directors prepare for scenes that involve nudity or simulated sex. This can include things like helping them feel more comfortable discussing their boundaries and creative ideas around the work, offering movement techniques and choreography guidance for scenes involving simulated sex, giving performers self-care and closure tips and techniques for their work beyond the scenes, and advocating for the needs of performers to the rest of the production crew ahead of the shoot.
- Open Communication -
Intimacy coordinators are trained to facilitate communication between all parties involved in a scene. This means that they’re equipped to create an open environment where everyone feels comfortable asking questions, voicing concerns, and expressing boundaries that may come up during a shoot.
- Standardized Practices -
Intimacy coordinators bring a set of standards and protocols designed to create a safe and consent-forward shooting environment during scenes of nudity or simulated sex. These standardized practices allow performers and crew alike to have a clear understanding of what is expected of them during shooting and allow everyone to be able to focus on their work without fear or distraction.
When do you need an intimacy coordinator?
The short answer to this is: whenever you’re filming a scene that involves nudity, simulated sex, or other hyper-exposure or intimacy.
These are defined as:
Scenes that involve nudity
Scenes that involve either full or partial nudity (where areas like the buttocks, genitals, breasts, or similar are exposed).
Scenes that involve simulated sex
Scenes that involve simulated sex include manual stimulation, simulated penetration, oral sex, or anal sex.
Scenes that involve hyper-exposure or other intimacy
This one is a bit less well-defined, but you may also want to bring on an intimacy coordinator for scenes that don’t involve simulated sex or nudity but may include kissing, intimate touching, hyper-exposure (such as wearing revealing costumes in a suggestive scene) or other similar scenarios where performers may want additional support and advocacy available to navigate their work.
How to Hire an Intimacy Coordinator
When it comes time to hire an intimacy coordinator, it’s best to bring on someone with a solid working knowledge of:
Consent training
Anti-harassment/anti-sexual harassment training
Movement coaching and masking techniques
Proper use of modesty garments and barriers
Mediation or conflict resolution training
Gender identity & sexual orientation training
Anti-racist/EDI training
Bystander intervention
Mental health first aid, trauma stewardship, or related training
Not sure where to start in your search?
A few places where you can find listings for qualified intimacy professionals include:
Tips for working with an Intimacy Coordinator
Hire an intimacy coordinator early, not late
It’s common for productions to hire an intimacy coordinator once they’re already in the thick of things and have already filmed a few intimate scenes. While this is better than not hiring someone at all, it’s best to hire an intimacy coordinator as soon as you know you’re going to film an intimate scene. This gives the coordinator time to prepare and identify potential issues before they ever occur.
Familiarize yourself with SAG-AFTRA’s Intimacy Coordinator Standards & Protocols
This handy guide tells you all about the standards and protocols that SAG has laid out to help you understand what an intimacy coordinator does, and how to utilize them on your production.
Utilize your intimacy coordinator as a tool for creativity as well as consent
Intimacy coordinators are more than just consent robots! Most ICs bring a toolbox of creative problem-solving skills that can help you not just create a safe performance space but also offer choreography and movement that helps to tell your story within everyone’s boundaries.
Conclusion
As the industry grows, so do the number of high-profile projects that involve nudity and simulated sex. With this, there’s also a greater need for intimacy coordinators responsible for ensuring that all performers involved in these scenes feel safe and comfortable.
Intimacy coordinators are trained professionals who can help ensure that everyone is aware of the different factors affecting their ability to consent. With the right support, they can also help ensure that everyone is prepared for the shoot and has ample opportunity to ask questions or voice concerns. Hiring an intimacy coordinator is the best way to ensure that these scenes are safe and comfortable for all performers.