WHAT IS AN INTIMACY COORDINATOR?
THE WORK
-
Facilitate a dialogue between the actors and director about their comfort level with the intimate content of a scene.
​
-
Prepare actors emotionally for intense intimacy scenes, such as simulated sexual assault, and providing them with support throughout the process, as well as emotional aftercare if needed.
​
-
Ensure that during the filming of a scene the boundaries of the actors are not being crossed and that they remain safe throughout, both physically and emotionally.
​
-
Provide a safe environment in which actors can do their work.
​
-
Ensure that closed set and SAG-AFTRA nudity guidelines are followed.
​
-
Serve as an on-set advocate and ally for LGBTQIA+ cast members.
​
-
Assist in choreography of simulated sex scenes to enhance believability.
​
-
Coordinate with departments such as costumes and makeup to make sure that the actors are provided with appropriate nudity garments, barriers, and prosthetics.
Intimacy Coordinators act as a liaison between the actor, director, and production to facilitate effective and clear communication around scenes involving nudity and simulated sex. We work to make sure that the actors feel safe, while at the same time supporting the director's process for realizing their vision. Intimacy Coordinators help to:
​
​
​
SERVICES
Intimacy Coordination
​
As an Intimacy Coordinator, Rebecca works with production and with the director to ensure actors feel safe, the vision is fulfilled, and filming is efficient the day of shooting scenes involving nudity and simulated sex. She advocates for actors, works to make sure all union and legal protocols are in place, and actors have a full understanding of consent and boundaries. Rebecca is also available to assist with choreography if requested.
​
Intimacy choreography for live performance
​
In addition to her work in film and television, Rebecca also practices as an intimacy director/choreographer for all types of live performance. With a Ph.D. in theatre and a lifetime in the performing arts as a producer, director, deviser, and actor, Rebecca brings a collaborative spirit and an understanding of the latest practices in intimacy work for live performance. She currently acts as the lead instructor for the Intimacy Choreography for Live Performance certification program through Intimacy Professionals Association. She has worked to open doors in all spaces where performers are vulnerable, including theatre, opera, dance, and circus.
​
​
press and Speaking Engagements
​
Rebecca is available to speak to your organization, group, or classroom. Prior to her work as an Intimacy Coordinator, Rebecca taught at NYU's Tisch Drama program, Mercy College, Fordham University, CSU Northridge, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego. She has lectured on intimacy coordination at several organizations, including Film Independent, as well as speaking to podcasts on the film and theatre industries and has been featured in several articles and television appearances. In addition to speaking about intimacy coordination, she has delivered key note speeches in the fields of effective communication and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) at conferences around the world. Rebecca is available to speak on the topics of intimacy coordination, how to establish effective communication on set, Emotional Intelligence for directors and producers, and unconscious bias.
​
​
Consulting
​​
Production:
Rebecca has ​specialized in creating positive working environments for Fortune 500 organizations for over 15 years. She is highly sought-after for her expertise in effective communication as well as understanding how to craft better policy to better support all members of the team. She is available to work with your production company, film or live performance, on how to adopt best practices around communication, inclusion, consent, and harassment. For live performance organizations, she also specializes in best practices for audience interaction and consent.
Some of her corporate communications clients include Chanel, Citibank, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Airbnb, E.L.F. Beauty, JLL, Harvard Business School, Sempra Energy, and several leading tech companies (on whose devices you're probably reading this right now) in Silicon Valley.
​
Individual:
Want to know more about what it means to work with an IC? Interested in becoming an IC and want some insight? Rebecca is available for one-on-one Zoom consultations for $75 for a one-hour private consultation. Hit the "Contact" button below and request a link to Rebecca's calendar.
​
Education
​
In addition to her work on set as an Intimacy Coordinator, Rebecca also teaches both in the Intimacy Professionals Association Certification program and regularly offers advanced workshops for Intimacy Professionals. Follow this link to find out the latest offerings.
​
She is also available to lead workshops with your production on the latest in consent practice in live performance spaces as well as film and TV sets.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
ABOUT
Rebecca is a Certified Intimacy Coordinator with Intimacy Professionals Association (IPA). Her recent credits include The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon), Unprisoned, Reasonable Doubt (Hulu/Onyx), Griselda (Netlfix), and Bookie (Max). Feature Films include Lear Rex (with Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain), Palm Trees and Power Lines (winner of the directing prize at Sundance), A Good Person (dir. Zach Braff), and To Leslie (Oscar nominated). She has covered as the Intmacy Coordinator for Pam & Tommy, General Hospital, and Black Monday. You can view her IMDB page here.
Prior to certifying with IPA, Rebecca worked for over 12 years as a specialist in Emotional Intelligence, Collaboration, Communication, and Unconscious Bias training, working with clients at Fortune 500 companies, including high tech, biotech, marketing, finance, retail, government, and automotive industries. She taught with UC San Diego's Rady School of Management's Center for Executive Development. Clients include: Janssen Pharma (Johnson & Johnson), Citibank, JLL, CalaPRS, Sempra Energy, and several Silicon Valley companies (on whose devices you are likely viewing this site on...and, yes, more than one).
​
As a long-time theatre producer, Rebecca worked to help bring the director's vision to life by supporting them in any way they needed. As the Producing Artistic Director of Stone Soup Theatre Company (San Diego, CA) she specialized in developing relationships with artists to create experimental works on a shoe-string budget. In New York City, Rebecca co-produced Erik Ehn's Soulographie: Our Genocides, a collaboration of 17 productions around the world, culminating in a 2-week festival at La MaMa ETC. She's also devised her own work that premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Additionally, Rebecca holds a Ph.D. in Theatre from UC Irvine. She taught Theatre Studies at NYU's Tisch Drama program, with emphasis on feminist approaches to theatre history and dramatic literature. She has also taught in the Theatre Departments at Fordham University, CSU Northridge, UC Irvine, MiraCosta College, and Mercy College. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the impact of the performative female body.
​
​
Rebecca Johannsen, Ph.D.
(She, Her, Hers)
REBECCA JOHANNSEN
INTIMACY COORDINATOR
@rjintimacy
