How does filming a sex scene actually work? A day in the life of an intimacy coordinator
An intimacy coordinator tells all about prosthetic penises, choreographing sex scenes and what you can find in an IC’s kit bag.
It's time to demystify one of the most crucial (and talked about) roles in TV and film in recent years: the intimacy coordinator. From Toni Collette and Florence Pugh to Sam Heughan and Taylor Zakhar Perez, a slew of stars have spoken out about working with professionals to plan, choreograph and ensure comfort and safety during intimate scenes on set.
Opinions on the experiences of working with intimacy coordinators differ quite dramatically but, especially since the #MeToo movement, it's become commonplace to have them on hand for any production that necessitates close contact or portrayals of sex on screen.
Similar to a stunt director, the intimacy coordinator is responsible for aiding in the creation of sex scenes and, most importantly, ensuring actors are comfortable and consent to what they’re being asked to do.
HBO became the first network to commit to hiring intimacy coordinators when filming nudity or sexual content; since then, other leading organisations have followed suit. In a condensed period of time, the intimacy coordinator became essential to the industry – so what are the tools and tricks of the trade and how is a sex scene actually filmed?
Meet intimacy coordinator Mia Schachter, who has worked on Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria
“I will speak to the director before I speak to the actors, to get an idea of what kind of shots they're looking for. For example, I'll see if they want to shoot full frontal topless nudity. I think ahead and ask, 'If the actor isn't comfortable with that, can you shoot from the side or from behind?' We go through options that will still achieve the same storytelling vision.
"It’s really essential to pay attention to non-verbal cues. If an actor ever says, 'I don’t know how I feel about that…' I’ll offer them alternatives. What comes up a lot is that people are willing to do side nudity, excluding nipple, or they’re happy to do rear nudity. A lot of people don’t want a straight-on shot or a close-up. I’ve worked with actors who are absolutely fine with doing rear nudity, but they’re not okay with any close-ups.
"When I arrive on set, I speak to the actors and go over their nudity riders with them. We choreograph the scene and block it, in a private rehearsal. The actors discuss with each other where they are comfortable being touched, and how. Then I pass on the riders to the script supervisors, who ensure that information is passed on to the editing team.
"Then we shoot. I make sure the set is closed and the monitors are flagged. As we shoot, I’m there to help with any movement that needs finessing. It has happened before when, in the heat of the moment, an actor accidentally touches another actor in a way that has not previously been agreed. If that happened, we would have a conversation about whether that was crossing a line and establish if everyone is still comfortable. Or, we reshoot with additional direction, for example, 'Can you move your arm so you’re covering her pasties?' After we finish shooting, we have a closure moment – we high five or shake hands – so that we can wrap up and put away the scene.
"A lot of the time when you see a penis on-screen, it's not the person's penis, it's a prosthetic penis. There's never any genital-to-genital contact. So, what you need to do when you're showing naked people rolling around with each other, is you have to give her a pubic wig (a merkin), so that she's covered completely and you have to give him a prosthetic penis, so that there's no genital touching skin."
Intimacy coordinator Yehuda Duenyas reveals what’s inside his kit bag
- Nippies / Nippets – to cover an actor’s areola
- Merkins – a pubic wig, often used for period pieces or for actresses who want more coverage of their pubic area
- Hibue / Shibue – a strapless thong that sticks to an actor’s pelvis, which acts as a barrier that prevents genitalia from touching
- Vajoga – a yoga mat for genitalia, used as a genital barrier when two bodies are grinding against each other
- Swim Shapers – used for nipple covers or as a barrier to cover female genitalia
- Mints / Gum – for fresh breath
- Heat Pads – to keep actors warm between takes
- Flesh coloured underwear – to use as a modesty garment
- Aloe Vera gel – to soothe skin irritated by modesty garments
- Bright green tape – so the cameraman knows the actor’s boundaries
- Evian water spray and glycerine – for creating the impression of beads of sweat
- Penis cups – a genitalia barrier for men
- Exacto knife – for any makeshift barrier or modesty garment that needs to be made on set
- Scissors
- Marker
- Alcohol prep pads
What is a nudity rider?
A nudity rider is a contract clause that outlines exactly what an actor is or isn’t willing to do in scenes that involve any nudity, intimacy, simulated sex or scenes which depict sexual assault.
They exist to protect and communicate an actor’s boundaries and clarify consent in order to establish a safe, professional and comfortable working environment on set. They reduce the risk of miscommunication on set when working on scenes involving portrayals of nudity, sex and intimacy.
These clauses are agreed between an actor, their agent, production teams and with the assistance of intimacy coordinators, and involve conversations before filming commences. They can also be adjusted at a later date if there is anything an actor becomes uncomfortable with.
A nudity rider commonly includes details on:
- The level of nudity an actor agrees to (e.g. topless or partial, full frontal or none)
- Camera angles and types of shot (e.g. close-ups vs wide, front or rear nudity)
- Physical contact boundaries (e.g. where on the body an actor agrees to be touched)
- Prosthetic or modesty garment requirements (e.g. genital coverings)
- Duration (how long an actor will appear naked on screen)
- Closed set requirements (who of the cast and crew is permitted to be present during filming of nude scenes)
Nudity riders became more commonplace in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
What's a typical prep day for an intimacy coordinator?
9am: Call the director – establish their vision / what the scene entails / what nudity is required.
10am: Call first actor. Establish their nudity boundaries in-depth.
11am: Call second actor. Repeat.
12pm: Email production with summaries of the actors’ conversations.
1pm: Contact wardrobe to arrange for the correct modesty garments to be ordered.
2pm: Contact make-up if actors have tattoos that need to be covered. Discuss whether the actors has pubic hair, or if pubic hair needs to be added.
3pm: Write up nudity riders.
What's a typical shoot day for an intimacy coordinator?
6am: Arrive on set.
6:15am: Go over nudity riders with actors.
6:45am: Choreograph and block sex scene in a private rehearsal with a closed set (only essential cast and crew present).
8am: Shoot scene. Ensure monitors are flagged (can only be seen by essential crew and cast). Reshoot with additional direction.
6pm: End of shoot. High five to wrap up and have closure.
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Authors
Minnie Wright is the Digital Growth and Acquisitions Lead of Radio Times. She has a background in TV, Film, Showbiz and Music at a major national publication and a degree in Popular Music Journalism.
