On 13 January, FIA Future Now (FFN), the young members’ committee of FIA, had the pleasure of meeting with Jennifer Ward-Lealand – President of Equity NZ, renowned actress, and one of New Zealand’s first intimacy coordinator – for a special session on intimacy coordination.
This insightful 90-minute discussion provided FIA’s young members with the opportunity to ask questions about a field that remains relatively new, particularly in some parts of the world. While all participants were familiar with the concept, only a few FFN members had direct experience working with an intimacy coordinator, making this conversation especially valuable as they explored the intricacies of the practice.
Jennifer began by outlining the types of scenes that require the involvement of an intimacy coordinator. These include scenes involving nudity or partial nudity, simulated sex, intimacy with minors or vulnerable artists, simulated sexual assault or non-consensual acts, and when requested by a member of the creative team.
She also detailed the key responsibilities of an intimacy coordinator at the different stages of production:
- Pre-production: Breaking down the script to identify intimate scenes, discussing creative vision with the director, speaking individually with performers to establish consent and boundaries, coordinating rehearsals, and working with the wardrobe department to arrange modesty garments.
- Production: Being present on set to monitor intimate scenes, advising on camera angles, and providing guidance as needed.
- Post-production: Following up with actors and offering feedback to the producer.
The discussion also covered more specific topics such as the differences between intimacy coordination in audiovisual and live performance, the potential role of intimacy coordinators in casting and during editing, and their collaboration with other professionals like stunt coordinators and access coordinators.
Overall, this exchange was highly informative and helped young members familiarize themselves with a practice that is set to become a standard in the arts and entertainment industry – ensuring that performers can safely navigate intimate scenes.
Following the conversation with Jennifer, FFN members took time to review the group’s ongoing initiatives. Among other decisions, they agreed to organise an FFN online event open to all FIA members in the first half of 2025 on the theme of “Engaging Young People in Trade Union”. More details about this event will be published on the FIA website in due course.