Marci Liroff is an Intimacy Coordinator working in Los Angeles, California
MAKING FILM AND TELEVISION A SAFE PLACE FOR ACTORS
Photo by MIA HARVEY
What is an Intimacy Coordinator?
The Intimacy Coordinator (IC) collaborates with the production team and the actor to craft intimate scenes of simulated sex and nudity.
An Intimacy Coordinator acts as a choreographer, an advocate for actors, and a liaison between actors and production for scenes that involve nudity/hyper-exposed work, simulated sex acts, and intimate physical contact.
It is the job of the IC to make sure that the actor is safe in all scenes and has clearly given enthusiastic consent.
As an advocate for the actor (and often the entire cast and crew for an intimate scene) we assist the creatives to mitigate the power dynamic that sometimes appears on set. We add an extra layer of safety and communication for cast and crew.
We collaborate with the actor and production on descriptive language for nudity riders.
We ensure a closed set by SAG-AFTRA standards assuring that only essential personnel are on set and watching the monitors.
We work with the director as a choreographer or movement coach for the scene, if needed.
Throughout the shooting of the scene, we can assist the actor with modesty garments, barriers and prosthetics.
We check-in with the actor throughout the scene to make sure that they are comfortable and feeling safe.
Working along with the director, we assure that the scene looks realistic and tells their story.
Liroff is one of a small group of Intimacy Coordinators who are recognized by Sag/Aftra as meeting the requirements of work experience (minimum 60 days) and training requirements. Click here for the list.
“I think one substantive change is intimacy coordinators. They make perfect sense. It’s like a fight choreographer. Nobody would ever say, ‘Just take these swords and see what happens, just duel a little and see where the spirit takes you.’
That’s insane!
”
“I would have benefited from an intimacy coordinator every single time I had to do a love scene or be partially naked or even a kissing scene. It would have been nice to have had someone in my corner, because I always had to stand up for myself.”
Why do you need an intimacy coordinator on your set?
Why do you need an intimacy coordinator for your project?
When a production executes a stunt, it hires a stunt coordinator who makes sure that every member of the crew remains safe, is educated and has given consent to the stunt at hand. This requires interviews with the production team to determine exactly what is called for in the scene down to the smallest detail. It also requires extensive choreography, planning, and safety meetings.
When an intimate scene is called for, the actors are often left to their own devices to map out how the scene should go. There is a high risk of blurred lines and abuse in a workplace where workers are required to kiss and simulate sex. To combat this, it’s becoming best practice to hire intimacy coordinators.
Now, with the introduction of the Intimacy Coordinator, the same thoughtful attention to detail can be given to create a safe environment for the actors involved in the scene as well to ensure that the vision of the director is met, thereby saving the production time and money.
In pre-production, the IC meets with the production team to determine what is specifically called for in the scene, and how best to tell the story to keep the creative vision and to keep the actors safe. After meeting with the director to determine their needs, we meet with the actors one-on-one to discuss ideas for the scene. During this time we confirm what areas of their body - in line with their nudity rider - they are comfortable revealing. In addition, we discuss consent for potential choreography for intimate scenes.
We then ensure that the actors and the production team are on the same page about the intimate scene at hand. We make sure that the nudity riders reflect the actors’ boundaries, and we facilitate getting them signed.
These detailed meetings ahead of the shooting day keep everyone up-to-speed on what is expected on the day so that precious time (and money) is not wasted.