What are intimacy coordinators in movies and TV shows? How much money do they make?

We’ve heard plenty of stories of actors and actresses who have had unpleasant experiences while filming “intimate” scenes for movies and television shows, although those tales of embarrassment have become less frequent in recent times due to the increasing involvement of intimacy coordinators.

When were intimacy coordinators first used?

The first credited mention of intimacy coordinators, professionals who help bring intimate scenes to life and make actors feel comfortable while doing so, came in 2017, when the first season of “The Deuce” was released. The drama series, starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal, told the story of the porn industry in New York City in the 1970s.

In the last seven years, the importance of the role has grown significantly, with CBS reporting there are over 100 intimacy coordinators working in the TV and film industry that have been certified by SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists). Certification is not strictly required in many cases, though.

It is believed intimacy coordinators earn roughly in line with stunt coordinators, whose minimum union rates are set at around $1,500 a day. In yearly terms, most make somewhere between $60,000 and $90,000 on average, although it obviously depends on how much they work.

What does an intimacy coordinator do?

So, what exactly does an intimacy coordinator do? Contrary to popular belief, it’s more than just helping out with the directing of sex scenes, although that is part of the job description.

“We are there to help coordinate any scene with simulated sex acts, nudity, or vulnerable scenes,” Amy Northrup, a New York City-based intimacy coordinator, told CBS.

Northrup says her job isn’t to act as some form of “sex police,” but instead to ensure actors feel as comfortable and have as much information as possible before performing intimate scenes.

“Scenes are usually written as ‘They go at it,’ or ‘They make love,’” she says. “For one director it could mean they kiss, fall into bed and the camera directs away. For another it would be we stay on them, one person climbs on top, and there’s a moment that could be really detailed.

“So the first thing we ask the director is, ‘What are you picturing? What are shot setups, what is the body positioning, the degree of nudity, what actual sex acts do they engage in?’”

What do “vulnerable scenes” include?

“Vulnerable scenes,” as Northrup puts it, can include anything from simulating a birth, bathing a person who needs assistant, breastfeeding or attending appointments at the gynaecologist.

Intimacy coordinators may also be required to work alongside costume designers to ensure actors are appropriately suited up - or down - for the role they are involved in.

The two have worked together to introduce industry standard modesty garments with protective barriers for actors to wear while filming nude or intimate scenes, a further step towards improving working conditions for everyone involved.