Ita O'Brien On What It's Like To Be an Intimacy Coordinator in Film and Television

An inside look at intimacy coordination with Ita O'Brien of Intimacy On Set

Intimacy coordinators may be a relatively new addition to film and TV sets, but they are becoming indispensable as productions seek to foster safe, supportive environments for actors.

As part of our virtual workshop series, we had the opportunity to talk with leading intimacy coordinator Ita O'Brien, who founded Intimacy On Set. She has worked on high-profile projects including "I May Destroy You" and "Normal People," both of which include a wide variety of on-screen intimate moments.

In these highlights from our Q&A with Ita, she delves into what intimacy coordinators do on set. She discusses the importance of clear communication regarding consent, the various types of intimacy she works with, and the power of saying "no."

ABOUT ITA O'BRIEN

Ita O'Brien is the UK’s leading Intimacy Coordinator and founder of Intimacy on Set, her company set up in 2018, which provides services to TV, film, and theatre when dealing with intimacy, sexual content, and nudity. O’Brien pioneered the role of the Intimacy Coordinator and since 2014 has been developing best practice Intimacy on Set Guidelines, which have been widely adopted in the industry and championed by the TIME’S UP movement and others, advocating for safe, fair and dignified work for everyone. O’Brien has worked on numerous high profile productions including Normal People (BBC3/Hulu), Sex Education 1&2 (Netflix), Gangs of London (Sky Atlantic), The Great (Hulu), I May Destroy You (BBC/HBO), Brave New World (Peacock/Sky One) and has been widely covered in the national and international media as the leading spokesperson in this space.

ABOUT INTIMACY ON SET

Intimacy On Set provides services to TV, film, and theater when dealing with intimacy, sexual content, and nudity. Intimacy On Set works with producers all over the world (including HBO, Netflix, Warner Bros. and the BBC), has run workshops in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Australia, and New Zealand, and is actively training a generation of Intimacy Coordinators. Their work has been featured in The Guardian, The New York Times, The Telegraph, The Irish Times, Cosmopolitan, The Evening Standard, The Stage, The Sunday Times, BBC, NBC, Radio New Zealand, ABC, and RTE. View Intimacy On Set's guidelines, including best practice when working with intimacy, simulated sex scenes, and nudity, here.