In short: An intimacy coordinator plans intimate or nude scenes with the performers and the director before the shoot. They work out body positions, movement, masking and camera angles, agree boundaries with each performer, take part in rehearsals, and set the rules for the closed set on the day. A coordinator is most useful when a scene involves simulated intimacy or nudity.
An intimacy coordinator helps actors and directors plan intimate scenes for the camera, so each shot is agreed before anyone steps onto the set. The work is about planning, consent and clear communication, not about performing the scene.
What an intimacy coordinator does on a shoot day
The planning starts well before the shoot. The coordinator meets the director and the performers, reads the scene, and works out how the movement will be staged for each camera angle. Some scenes need a rehearsal with the performers present, the director and the coordinator, and nobody else. The rehearsal settles what will happen, what will not happen, and how the performers will signal if something changes.
On the day, the coordinator checks the masking and modesty equipment against the shot list, makes sure only the crew who need to be there are in the room, and runs each take with the performers. They advise the director and the director of photography on the shot size and the lighting, so the camera sees what was agreed and nothing else. A performer can ask to stop at any point, and the coordinator makes that routine rather than a row.
After the scene, the coordinator checks in with the performers, and records what was agreed and what was shot for the production.
Who they work with
The coordinator works directly with the director and the performers. They also work with the director of photography and the camera operator on shot choice, with the 1st assistant director on the schedule and the closed set, and with costume and make-up on the modesty garments. The production, through the producer, is responsible for hiring them.
On a larger production there may be more than one coordinator, with a lead who looks after the schedule and the team.
Kit and skills
The kit is modesty garments, internal and external barriers, masking, and a shot-by-shot plan on paper. A rehearsal room that can be closed is essential. The coordinator also needs a clear way to record the agreed boundaries for each performer.
Yarit Dor, an intimacy coordinator with credits on screen, describes the skills of the job in a ScreenSkills article. She lists choreography for camera, with limited rehearsal time, a basic understanding of cinematography and lighting, knowledge of the equipment and how to adapt it, and the ability to balance empathy with firmness when a director's vision conflicts with a performer's boundaries. She also lists leadership skills, including mediation and trauma-informed practice. She compares the choreography to a stunt coordinator's work, which is a useful way to think about it.
How to become an intimacy coordinator
There is no single UK route into the job. Many coordinators come from acting, dance, movement or directing and then take specialist training with a private provider. Check what a course covers and where its graduates have worked before you pay, and ask people already in the role how they got there.
ScreenSkills publishes career guidance on the role, including the article by Yarit Dor quoted above. Bectu publishes a rate card for intimacy coordinators, and its members can get advice on contracts and rates. Because the job is freelance, your evidence is your work: keep a record of the productions you have worked on and the role you had on each one.
Do you need one on a small shoot?
If a scene involves simulated intimacy or nudity, plan for a coordinator, even on a small job. Planning the shot in advance is cheaper than fixing it on the day, and the performers are better protected by a plan they helped make.
If the scene is a light touch with no nudity, a coordinator may not be needed, but the director and performers still need to agree in advance what will be shot, who will be in the room, and what each performer is comfortable with. That conversation is the job, whatever the size of the shoot.
Related roles
- What does a hair and make-up artist do?
- What does a costume supervisor do?
- What does a director do?
- What does a 1st assistant director do?
- What does a script supervisor do?
- What does a casting director do?
Sources
- ScreenSkills, Yarit Dor on the skills needed to succeed as an intimacy coordinator, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What does an intimacy coordinator do on the shoot day?
They attend the shoot, check the masking and modesty equipment, make sure only the agreed crew is in the room, and work through each take with the performers. They also check in with the performers after the scene.
Do you need an intimacy coordinator on a small shoot?
If a scene involves simulated intimacy or nudity, plan for one, even on a small job. If the scene is a light touch with no nudity, the director and performers still need to agree what is shot before the day.
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