Frequently asked questions

Intimacy is something inherently subjective rooted in culture.

This being said, in the framework of the IC work we can use the definition given by the UK broadcasting workers' union, BECTU. According to them, intimacy on screen currently includes the following elements

Physical touch of touch of an intimate or sexual nature

Including, but not limited to

- Mouth to mouth kiss

- Contact kiss on the body

- Contact with sensitive areas, including

o the chest

o genitalia

o any other part deemed sensitive for personal reasons.

 Levels of undress

- Undressing the layers of the costume until the characters are in their underwear or swimsuits

Nudity levels

- Nudity above/below the waist

- Full nudity (*including or excluding certain body parts according to the artist's request)

- Complete nudity of the front of the body (*)

- Complete nudity of the back of the body (*)

- Implied nudity - the camera gives the impression that the character is naked, but the performer is covered on set with blankets for the chest and pelvis.

Simulation of an action of an intimate nature

Including, but not limited to:

- Simulation of a sexual act

- Kissing simulation

- Simulating physical contact of an intimate or sexual nature.

Intimate content that may include what the artist considers to be exposing or sensitive to them. The artist may wish to have an IC present to facilitate advocacy and support. Examples of possible content include, but are not limited to

o miscarriage

o abortion

o scenes depicting sexual trauma or sexual dance scenes

o scenes of violence, verbal or physical

o scene with heightened or charged content that appeals to the performer's identity (racial identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, gender and/or age).

● Performers are more at ease and their acting becomes more flexible and relaxed

● You explore the narrative potential of these scenes by avoiding clichés and/or unknowingly harmful dynamics of representation

● You avoid traumatizing or reactivating your performers.

● Being clear about the limits of your performers allows you to anticipate and avoid potential conflicts that may come up before and during the work

● You and your team benefit from a clear framework supported by a professional in the field

● In the event of a change of consent or narrative direction, the IC is equipped to find appropriate solutions quickly

● Takes are repeatable because the performers follow a clear (but flexible) choreography, making the technical crew's jobs easier

● You contribute to making your work environment respectful of everyone's well-being

An IC can come in at any stage of the process, depending on the needs of the production.

You may consult an IC in your writing room to help you fine-tune your intimate scenes to make them more realistic or original, or you may need to change your script at the last minute to honor your performers' boundaries and need an expert eye to guide you.

The assistance of an IC can be invaluable at the time of auditioning performers, from developing clear casting notices regarding intimate content, to setting up safety protocols for intimacy auditions.

An IC can also assist you during rehearsals in order to facilitate work on the day of shooting or performing.

They can also come in just for the shooting of intimate scenes, having had the necessary discussions with the production, the director and the performers in order to establish limits and narrative needs beforehand.

They may also be present in post-production to set up sensitive data protocols, to ensure that the contractual boundaries of the performers are honored during editing and to facilitate the recording of intimate sounds in ADR, if necessary.

Some directors prefer a close collaborative style and consult with the IC on movement and acting notes during the scene.

Others may have a very specific idea in mind and would rather have the IC translate their notes in a desexualized language to the actors.

While some directors are more comfortable delegating the choreography entirely to the IC and the actors.

The IC adapts to the needs of the production to support the creative process as best as possible for each individual, while sharing tools and ensuring that the performers' boundaries are honored at all times.

If your performer has a bad knee, the stunt coordinator will help you find a way to choreograph the fight scene differently, while keeping the same visual and narrative impact. No one would call this censorship.

An IC supports you in the same way, so you can tell your story without unknowingly hurting or retraumatizing your performers.

The goal is the same as with stunt or combat choreography: to make intimate scenes believable on screen while ensuring the safety of the performers.

As for claims of puritanism, or the fear of ICs taking edge of out of intimate scenes, in my experience the opposite is true. Thinking about your characters' nudity, sexuality and desire without taboo will open up a world of creative possibilities that will enhance your storytelling tenfold.

Yes indeed, intimate scenes are part of a performer's job. But some jobs involve risks and unlike a stunt that goes wrong, the wounds of intimacy remain invisible.

Several studies have demonstrated the traumatic impact of acting on the performers' brains(1,2, 3). As a result, they are at greater risk of traumatization and/or traumatic reactivation when working with intimate scenes. Unfortunately, cases of reactivation are very likely, given the statistics on victims of sexual violence in Belgium(47% of Belgians have already been exposed to at least one form of sexual violence).

Our characters may exist in violent spaces, but our performers should never be led into real traumatisation.

The same goes for the crew. Spending a whole day witnessing violence, even when acted by professionals can have a real impact on our well-being at work and our ability to carry out our missions.

An IC is there to coordinate consent, neutralizing unhelpful power dynamics as much as possible during the process, so that they do not hinder the actors' ability to give consent freely.

In short, when you are in a position of power such as director/producer, or have a higher social status on a set (star vs. newcomer), it is particularly difficult for the performers you work with to say no to you, or even just to take the time to think about their boundaries.

This is often due to the conditioning of the environment, which implies that a good performer is someone who is "generous" and willing to do anything.

On the other hand, it may also be a defense mechanism of the central nervous system that interprets any interaction with a person perceived as having authority over us as a potential threat(1), which in turn impairs our ability to consent. It is common among performers that the need to please or submit ("fawn") is triggered as a survival response in this case.

Since this power dynamic is inevitable, even when cultivating the most welcoming of environments, it is our responsibility to prevent its impact on ours performer's ability to consent.

An CI provides a neutral space in which peformers can take the time to reflect on their needs, and then set their boundaries. With the assurance that everything will be done to ensure that they are honored at every stage of the creative process while remaining in service of the story.

Intimacy coordination provides a clear structure and process when shooting nudity, simulated sex or intimacy scenes. It is about choreographing scenes by grounding the creative process in consent at every stage, while making the most of their narrative potential.

Although an IC is trained in sexual harassment and bullying issues, and has conflict resolution skills, their role is limited to the crafting of intimate scenes and not the rest of the shoot or performance.

Intimacy coordination cannot exist in a vacuum. I am a white, neurodivergent, queer, non-binary person assumed to be a cisgender woman.

If I don't feel confident advocating for your character's and performer's identities then I will refer you to a competent IC.

If such an IC is not available  then we will work with the appropriate cultural consultants to support your team's well-being and the accuracy of your storytelling to the best of our ability.

To coordinate stunts and fights, being a boxer wouldn't be enough. You would need to get appropriate training in order to ensure the safety of the performers in situations that are sometimes high-risk.

The same is true for intimacy coordination. Improvising this role is putting performers at risk since you won’t have the tools to ensure their well-being. The illusion of safety can be very dangerous as performers will be think they are ok to take significant risks, believing they have the support of a professional when they actually don't.

To be safe, always check the level of training and experience of an IC before hiring them.

Most of the training courses accredited by the US film and TV actors' union SAG-AFTRA are given in English-speaking countries at very high prices.

Some private initiatives are launched in Europe, notably via Netflix, but it is difficult to get a spot.

The difficulty of access to training is problematic because it makes it almost impossible to train people from marginalized groups. Yet, their perspectives and skills are particularly valuable at the intersection of intimacy storytelling in a context of systemic oppression.

You will find here a list of training organizations approved by SAG-AFTRA.

The following are the key areas of expertise and training required to perform the responsibilities of the position according to SAG-AFTRA (among others):

Expertise and training

- Consent training

- Anti-harassment and sexual harassment training

- Training in movement and masking techniques

- Proper use of intimacy garments and barriers

- Training in mediation or conflict resolution

- LGTBQI+ awareness training

- Anti-racism training/ Equality Diversity Inclusion

- Bystander intervention training

- Mental health first aid certification, trauma-informed or related training.

Additional requirements

- Clean record

- Experience on set and ability to adapt and implement job responsibilities, duties and protocols on a variety of different projects.

I am not training candidates at the moment.