Intimacy co-ordinator Ita O'Brien, who is known for her work in series featuring powerful sexual content such as "I May Destroy You," "Sex Education" and "Normal People," says the key to a believable sex scene is preparation and ensuring the actors involved feel safe on set.
"The day on set is the tip of the iceberg, and actually what makes the day on set go well is all that preparation," O'Brien said during a virtual talk over the weekend during the Toronto International Film Festival's Bell Digital Talks program.
O'Brien said intimate scenes have the potential to create a deeper understanding of the film's characters and "enrich storytelling" when they involve more than just the physicality of the moment.
"Of course it's going to be pretend, that's what we're in the business of, and so there's techniques in order to teach you so that it's done safely, but believable and exciting," O'Brien told moderator, actor and director Madeleine Sims-Fewer.
Since 2014, O'Brien has been developing best practices when working with intimate moments, scenes with sexual content, and nudity in film, TV, and theatre. These are known as the 'Intimacy on Set' guidelines. They are widely used by leading film production houses including HBO and Netflix.
"The intimacy guidelines give us structure by which we can all work openly and professionally with the intimate content, allowing you to bring all of our skills as the actor to the intimate scenes," she said.
O'Brien, who pioneered the role of an intimacy co-ordinator, says the job is different from that of a coach. While an acting coach would work with an actor one-on-one, O'Brien said an intimacy co-ordinator works with the entire production of a scene to ensure everyone -- from the crew to the actors and director -- is on the same page.
"We're literally doing exactly the same for intimate content as a stunt co-ordinator," O'Brien explained.
O'Brien says there are three overriding tenants to her intimacy guidelines. The first being, "open communication and transparency."
O'Brien said it is important for the cast and crew to prepare weeks ahead of time and talk about what everyone needs ahead of a sex scene, such as modest clothing from the wardrobe department or a warming tent from set production if the scene is outside.
She said directors need to check in with the actors to express their vision and to also ask what their nudity requirements are and if they have any sexual boundaries.
"You have that open communication and then agreement and consent," she said.
O'Brien said communication is especially important when it comes to portraying scenes of sexual violence or abuse to ensure the actors still feel safe while exploring a situation of "consent being taken away from somebody."
When it comes to the actual details of the physical movement, O'Brien says "clear choreography" is necessary. She added that the scene should be choreographed like that of a fight or dance. Then, the moves should be rehearsed multiple times before the camera rolls to ensure everyone feels comfortable with what is being portrayed, she said.
"What you're looking for is allowing the actor to be full of what the storytelling is, how this moment pushes the storytelling forward, what it tells you about each character, and each character's relationship," O'Brien said.
Whether in rehearsals or during filming, O'Brien said intimacy co-ordinators also implement timeouts, which give actors the autonomy to stop the scene should they begin to feel uncomfortable, similar to that of a director calling "cut."
Lastly, O'Brien says the intimate scene should operate as a "closed set," meaning the filming only includes those cast and crew members who are directly involved. As well, she said all other monitors outside of the set should be turned off during the scene to prevent a "gratuitous gaze."
For those select crew members involved in the scene, O'Brien said the director should consider early on if they can bring more gender parity to the set.
For example, if it is a heterosexual sex scene, O'Brien said there may just be one female actor working with a male actor, surrounded by a crew of men.
O'Brien said just swapping out a few male crew members with women can help to create a more comfortable work environment for female actors.
However, being an intimacy co-ordinator isn't just about keeping people safe.
O'Brien said her job is integral in creating intimate scenes "of value" for a film that help audiences understand themselves better in their sexual expression.
By creating a "clear, professional structure" for intimate scenes, O'Brien said film productions are able to normalize sexual content in film without making the actors, or audiences, feel vulnerable.
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
People in Manitoba could soon be able to grow recreational cannabis in their homes.
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
A Toronto cop who was driving to a break-and-enter call last year when he crashed into a civilian vehicle and seriously injured two people has been cleared by the province’s police watchdog, but concerns are being raised about the speed at which they were travelling on the way to the scene.
Three children and a driver were taken to hospital after a school bus and a truck collided on Route 400 in Russell, Ont.
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.
Authorities on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border resumed search efforts Monday to find two men who went missing while kayaking off Vancouver Island over the weekend.
At least 5 people have died while crossing the English Channel, according to French media, hours after the U.K. approved the migrant deportation bill.
An Arizona judge declares a mistrial Monday in the case of a rancher accused of fatally shooting a Mexican man on his property near the U.S.-Mexico border.
An Indian national has been sentenced in the United States to five years in prison in connection with a dark web drug enterprise that stretched as far as Canada, an American Department of Justice release says.
Two Malaysian military helicopters collided midair and crashed during a training session on Tuesday, killing all 10 people on board and injuring a swimmer in a pool, authorities said.
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
French police evicted migrants from a makeshift camp in Paris a few steps away from the Seine River on Tuesday, the latest operation in what aid groups call a campaign of 'social cleansing' ahead of the Summer Olympics.
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is raising eyebrows anew over his carbon pricing stance, refusing to say today whether or not he would keep scheduled increases in place if he becomes prime minister.
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Whether you’re shedding pounds with the help of effective new medicines, slimming down after weight loss surgery or cutting calories and adding exercise, there will come a day when the numbers on the scale stop going down, and you hit the dreaded weight loss plateau.
The Manitoba government is funding mental health support for first responders, following the recent death of a Winnipeg firefighter.
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
For the first time in five months, NASA engineers have received decipherable data from Voyager 1 after crafting a creative solution to fix a communication problem aboard humanity’s most distant spacecraft in the cosmos.
Biologists, cognitive scientists and philosophers across the globe say there is a reasonable possibility the vast majority of creatures on Earth are sentient in some way.
Taylor Swift's latest album, 'The Tortured Poets Department,' which dropped on Friday, became the most-streamed album on its first day across Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.
Victoria Beckham, the fashion designer once known best as Posh Spice, celebrated her 50th birthday this weekend in London, where she was joined by her former Spice Girls bandmates.
North Korean animators may have helped create popular television cartoons for big Western firms, including Amazon and HBO Max, despite international sanctions on North Korea, a research report has found.
Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan says he has appointed an Industrial Inquiry Commission to dig deeper into the underlying causes of B.C.'s port strike last summer.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Monday sued to block Coach parent Tapestry's US$8.5 billion deal to buy Michael Kors owner Capri, saying it would eliminate 'direct head-to-head competition' between the flagship brands of the two luxury handbag makers.
The gap between the highest earners and lowest income groups last year was at its widest since 2015 as the wealthiest households saw income grow much faster than lower-income Canadians.
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
When Kema Ward-Hopper and her then-fiance Nicholas Hopper, both from the U.S., decided to get married in Costa Rica, they had no idea that they’d end up relocating there a few years later.
If you’re looking for something to sweeten your dinner table this Passover, Jewish dietitian and chef Micah Siva has a few ideas for you.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Connor Hellebuyck made sure he did one important thing while winding down Sunday after the Winnipeg Jets beat the Colorado Avalanche 7-6 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. The favourite to win this season's Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie made sure his recovery included replenishing his fluids.
French police evicted migrants from a makeshift camp in Paris a few steps away from the Seine River on Tuesday, the latest operation in what aid groups call a campaign of 'social cleansing' ahead of the Summer Olympics.
Ford recalled more than 55,000 trucks and SUVs over a battery detection issue, according to a Transport Canada recall notice.
Honda Canada is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant near its auto manufacturing facility in Alliston, Ont., where it also plans to produce fully electric vehicles.
Gas prices are once again on the move in B.C.’s Lower Mainland but this time in the other direction.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
As the wildfire season ramps up and a pair of evacuation alerts are now in place, one of British Columbia’s top fire officials is making a personal appeal to the public to take some simple steps that could safeguard their homes.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Backlash to decriminalization dominated question period Monday in the B.C. legislature, with the Official Opposition BC United and BC Conservatives calling for the province to end the three-year pilot project.
A recent survey shows not all Canadians are ready to make the switch to an electric vehicle as they have concerns about charging stations, cold weather and battery life.
Auston Matthews scored the winner in the third period and added two assists as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Monday to even their first-round playoff series 1-1.
Toronto’s police chief has ordered a “full internal review of all aspects of plainclothes policing” following an acquittal in the first-degree murder trial of Umar Zameer.
Monday, a judge ruled a proposed class-action lawsuit can go forward despite efforts from lawyers representing the archdiocese of Edmonton and a religious order to have it struck down.
Calgary police have released a photo of a man wanted after a deadly shooting in the community of Shawnessy last month.
The largest public hearing in the city’s history is set to get underway Monday morning.
Three children and a driver were taken to hospital after a school bus and a truck collided on Route 400 in Russell, Ont.
The Pembroke Regional Hospital says it is expecting longer wait times this spring and summer because of anticipated physician shortages.
A cold few days are in the forecast for the city of Ottawa, before spring-like temperatures return in time for the weekend.
Montreal police are investigating after four vehicles were set on fire Monday night.
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
A historical hangar at the former Edmonton municipal airport beside the NAIT main campus was on fire Monday night.
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.
The Alberta government is changing existing legislation to lower utility bills in Calgary.
A male youth is dead after an incident near the Halifax Shopping Centre on Monday.
Three people are in hospital with serious injuries after a two-vehicle crash in New Germany, N.S., on Sunday.
Pictures of a poster encouraging people to steal from Loblaw Companies Limited next month on a specific date have been circulating online.
Homeowners in a Manitoba community are cleaning up after being impacted by a natural phenomenon last week.
Marion Street Eatery is set to close its doors for good after over a decade serving up steaming plates of eggs benedict, grilled cheese and brisket hash.
People in Manitoba could soon be able to grow recreational cannabis in their homes.
Regina city councillors are set to consider lowering the speed limit in the Cathedral neighbourhood to 30 kilometres per hour on Wednesday.
Members of the Sask. Party claim a recent trip by the leader of the opposition reveals her party's secret support for the federal carbon tax.
The Saskatchewan NDP are calling for the resignation or firing of Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill, saying he lied about apologizing for comments he made to a mother whose daughter died.
A Kitchener man who forgot his laptop on a bus in January says he’s now being asked to pay $750 to get it back from whoever has the device.
Ornge Air Ambulance says one person has critical injuries after a serious crash in the area of Fischer Hallman Road and Victoria Street South in Kitchener.
Brantford police say one person remains in critical condition after a shooting in Brantford Sunday night.
A Saskatoon mortgage broker says the federal government’s move to help Muslim Canadians get into the housing market by promoting halal mortgages is not such a radical idea — it’s helping families buy their first home without breaking their faith.
A driver caught using vice grips in place of a steering wheel was ticketed Wednesday after being stopped by police on a rural road.
The Saskatchewan Rush are absent from the National Lacrosse League playoffs for a third straight season, a difficult end to an postseason push born out of a rocky start.
It was a sad scene at Tom Davies Square in Sudbury on Monday morning, where a man was being sentenced for a crash that killed a North Bay woman who was driving to her wedding shower.
Hundreds of drivers were charged in a recent three-day commercial motor vehicle blitz conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police and Ministry of Transportation.
Plans to redevelop the former St. Joseph’s Hospital on Paris Street in Sudbury are moving ahead, with the first stage of the approvals process taking place next week.
The Dutton/Dunwich Fire Department responded to the scene near mile marker 142 between Currie Road and Iona Road, after the vehicle caught fire.
Council is be urged to ensure that a plan to redevelop the Byron Gravel Pit also maintains a summer home for its long-time residents — a colony of bank swallows.
Brian Gray-Hicks likes to be active, and goes for daily walks near his home in Clinton.
Orillia council authorized a bylaw to rename Centennial Drive Lightfoot Drive at its meeting on Monday.
A routine patrol in Midland turned up an illegal driver and several prohibited knives.
Huntsville OPP charged a driver for going the wrong way on Highway 11 and colliding with a transport vehicle.
As a young man, Jim Oran's life took unexpected turns, ultimately leading him to Sweden, where he encountered a woman who would later give birth to a child he never knew existed.
A federal offender known to frequent southwestern Ontario has been arrested.
The town of Amherstburg may one day soon have a public boat launch at the K. Walter Ranta Memorial Park after agreeing to move forward with a plan, despite the multi-million dollar price-tag.
Mounties searching for a driver who struck and killed a woman on Vancouver Island last week released new details about the suspect vehicle Monday.
Authorities on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border resumed search efforts Monday to find two men who went missing while kayaking off Vancouver Island over the weekend.
The B.C. government says legislation formally recognizing the Haida Nation's Aboriginal title over Haida Gwaii was introduced in the legislature Monday.
Major crime detectives in British Columbia are investigating a suspected homicide after a body was found in a remote area southeast Kelowna over the weekend.
A banana ball python that was stolen from a Kelowna pet store on Saturday has been returned unharmed, Mounties said.
Nurses held a rally Wednesday at a hospital in the B.C. Interior that closed its emergency department more than a dozen times last year due to insufficient staff.
The City of Lethbridge is calling the first year of its curbside organics waste collection program a success.
Coaldale RCMP are looking for the public's help to locate a suspect in a hit-and-run in a McDonald's parking lot earlier this month.
An agreement to protect a sprawling ranch in southern Alberta from development is the largest of its kind in the country, the Nature Conservancy of Canada says, and will allow the family that owns it to continue raising cattle there.
Nearly a hundred people dedicated to saving the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA from closure gathered in front of the facility in a showing of support.
Hundreds of drivers were charged in a recent three-day commercial motor vehicle blitz conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police and Ministry of Transportation.
The United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin Anishnaabe Police announced Monday it is creating its first full-time drug enforcement unit on the island.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans says two people were found dead and four others survived after a boat capsized off the west coast of Newfoundland.
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
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