Sex and safety on set: intimacy coordinators in television drama and film in the VOD and post-Weinstein era

Abstract

This article examines the work of Intimacy Coordinators on television drama and film sets and the rise of this new role in the screen industry from a policy and production studies perspective. Since HBO made the employment of an Intimacy Coordinator mandatory on all productions with scenes of sex, nudity, and physical intimacy in 2018, intimacy coordination has become an industry standard and expectation. Through interviews and analysis of production practices, this article explores how Intimacy Coordinators change and challenge established production practices on and off set and interrogates the reasons behind the emergence of this role in the screen industry. It situates intimacy coordination in the context of recent industry policies and initiatives that promote equality and diversity, and counter harassment and abuse in the post-Weinstein era. It analyses this role on relation to changingproduction and distribution models and regimes in the era of VOD portals. The article argues that intimacy coordination is not only a catalyst for reforming practices on set, but a way for the screen industry to negotiate contemporary and historic concerns about sexual harassment and abuse, comply with recent policy and funding requirements, and a mechanism for mitigating economic and reputational risk to productions.

Production, policy and power: the screen industry’s response to the environmental crisis

“…In the UK, BAFTA’s guidelines dismiss productions with ongoing accusations of harassment from their roster of award nominees. This has led to improved frameworks for reporting and addressing abuse on set (Sørensen, 2021). These cases illustrate that a funding system that links sustainable production initiatives to material resources such as the ability to access finance or win awards, could focus greater attention of the screen industry on its environmental impact.…”

“People want better”: a qualitative exploration of stakeholders’ views on introducing well-being coordinators in the screen industry

“…In addition, in 2017, Ronan Farrow’s Pulitzer prize winning investigative journalism highlighted the presence of sexual violence within the screen industry (Farrow, 2019 ). The #MeToo movement brought to light the frequency and severity of past and present abuse, harassment, and discrimination in the entertainment sector, not just for women in the industry but for all (Sørensen, 2022 ). Of note, Kim ( 2018 ) highlights that such issues are not unique to the Hollywood context: these issues extend outside of the western world and represent global challenges for the screen industry.…”

“…The actors, crew, director, and producer, under the direction of the intimacy coordinator, are all involved in the practical, physical, and psychological preparations for the performance of these moments, and Intimacy Coordinators negotiate and oversee their filming. In addition to a concentration on the cast and crew’s safety, dignity, and wellness, the Intimacy Coordinator’s presence aims to foster a professional work atmosphere where procedures, practices, and actions are open and pre-rehearsed (Coetzee & Groves, 2023 ; Sørensen, 2022 ; Ward, 2023 ). Moreover, the screen industry’s poor record in sustainability is currently being addressed through new initiatives such as the widespread use of the carbon calculator on productions and the emergency of the new crew role of the Sustainability Manager (Kääpä & Vaughan, 2022 ).…”