When a film includes a kiss, a nude scene, or any moment of physical closeness, it’s no longer just the director and actors deciding what happens. Enter the intimacy coordinator, a trained professional who designs, choreographs, and oversees intimate scenes to ensure consent, safety, and artistic clarity on set. Also known as intimacy director, this role has become standard on major productions—and is now demanded by actors, unions, and audiences alike. Before intimacy coordinators, these scenes were often handled off-the-cuff, with little communication, no choreography, and no real safety net. Now, every touch is planned, every boundary respected, and every moment documented. It’s not about censorship—it’s about control. Control over your body, your comfort, and your creative input.
Intimacy coordinators don’t just show up on set. They work with directors and actors weeks before filming to map out exactly what will happen—step by step. They create movement scripts, like fight choreography, but for emotional and physical vulnerability. They negotiate boundaries: what’s okay to show, what’s off-limits, and how to shoot around it. They’re the bridge between art and ethics. And they’re not just for big studios. Even indie films are hiring them now, because actors won’t work without them. The SAG-AFTRA contract now requires them on union productions, and studios that skip them risk lawsuits, bad press, and lost talent. This isn’t a trend—it’s a new baseline for responsible filmmaking.
Related roles like on-set intimacy, the practice of using choreography and clear communication to handle physical scenes with precision and care and actor protection, the systemic effort to safeguard performers from emotional and physical harm during filming are now part of the industry’s core language. You’ll see it in how scenes are shot: fewer takes, more rehearsals, closed sets, and written agreements. It’s why films like Succession, The Crown, and Normal People feel so raw and real—they weren’t left to chance. They were carefully built.
What you’ll find in this collection aren’t just stories about intimacy coordinators. You’ll see how they changed the way scenes are written, how they’ve influenced casting decisions, and why some directors still resist them. You’ll read about real incidents that forced the industry to change, and how actors are now speaking up—not just for themselves, but for everyone who comes after. This isn’t just about sex scenes. It’s about power, trust, and who gets to tell a story.
Intimacy coordinators ensure actors are safe and respected during intimate scenes in film and TV. Learn how they work, why they’re required on union sets, and how they improve performances without sacrificing authenticity.