Ita is grateful to contribute to this ongoing conversation about the value of ethical, consensual, and well-supported intimate content on set, and sends gratitude to everyone recognising the importance of this work as our industry continues to evolve.
Olivia Colman very kindly spoke about Ita this week, which was also picked up by USA Today, in reflecting positively on their previous work together on The Roses and Empire of Light. In particular, praising the advice Ita had given her during an intimate scene, to “imagine the sun is hitting your face”.
Ita responded on her socials, saying…”I really value Olivia’s honesty here (and thank you for the lovely shout-out in @usatoday) This is the very heart of Intimacy Coordination: supporting individuals to articulate their personal boundaries, and ensuring they are respected in the workplace. My role is never to push someone into intimacy, but to create a professional process where choice and consent are centred, so that actors can say yes with clarity, or no with equal confidence. In doing so, we not only safeguard the individual, but we also enable the work to be braver, more truthful, and created with integrity.”
Ita recently spoke with The Sunday Times about the Intimacy On Set Guidelines, and how our art should reflect humanity back on itself.
Full episode featuring itaobrien_ is available on bbcsounds now
Thanks to everyone that’s watched the interview clips so far – they’re up to 500k on TikTok & 250k on Instagram already! Gratitude goes to @anoushka_md for a genuinely lovely experience.
“For the genuinely romantic depictions of sex on screen, actors and directors can face a myriad of challenges. Film sets are often packed, demanding, and tiring. It’s only in the last few years that a specified role to guide and coach actors for love scenes has become mainstream. Intimacy coordinator Ita O’Brien worked on Netflix’s “Sex Education,” as well as HBO’s “Watchmen.” We attended one of Ita’s workshops in South London to find out how sex scenes are co-ordinated in movies.”
Ita attends the London Premiere of The Roses, staring Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon.
Providing the Intimacy Coordination for this film was a fantastic experience, and working with this group of actors was, as you’d expect, a total delight.
The cast of The Agency Season 2, discuss with The Wrap, their positive experiences in working with Ita, and how using the Intimacy On Set Guidelines supported both actors’ well-being, and the efficiency of shooting intimate scenes.
Image credit – Michael Fassbender and Jodie Turner Smith in “The Agency”: Luke Varley/Paramount+ with Showtime
Read Ita’s new feature in the London Standard, exploring how important authentic on-screen representation is for our own intimate lives
Maanya Sachdeva mentions Ita’s book “Intimacy” in a new article for FeMail
We’re delighted announce that Ita will be featured in a new interview with Vogue Australia!
Ita discusses her role as Intimacy Coordinator on Normal People and Sex Education, and shares actionable techniques to deepen connection in your own life
Gratitude goes to Analicinia for such fantastic interview experience