Intimacy coordinators ensure that actors are safe on set during the filming of simulated sex, nudity, and other intimate scenes while still bringing the director’s creative vision to life and telling the story. In order to do this, some of the services that an intimacy coordinator brings to a show include:
Facilitating dialogue between the actors and director about their comfort level with the intimate content of a scene.
Preparing actors emotionally for intense intimacy scenes, such as simulated sexual assault, and providing them with support throughout the process, as well as emotional aftercare if needed.
Making sure that during the filming of a scene the boundaries of the actors are not being crossed and that they remain safe throughout, both physically and emotionally.
Providing a safe environment in which actors can do their work.
Ensuring that closed set and SAG nudity guidelines are followed.
Serving as an on-set advocate and ally for LGBTQIA+ cast membersChoreographing simulated sex scenes to enhance believability.
Coordinating with departments such as costumes and makeup to make sure that the actors are provided with appropriate nudity garments, barriers, and prosthetics.
In addition to providing productions with intimacy coordinators, IPA consults with television networks and movie studios on how to implement the use of intimacy coordinators on all of their productions and build an internal protocol for how to handle scenes of intimacy that is customized to fit the studio.