The explosion of the #MeToo movement five years ago did not only lead to an avalanche of accusations in Hollywood, it also caused a small revolution with the appearance of 'intimacy coordinators' in charge of planning sex scenes in films.
This booming new profession has become essential on many film sets, but the industry remains undermined by power struggles and the fear of saying no.
Since the revelations in 2017 about the predatory behaviour of producer Harvey Weinstein, accused by more than 90 women of harassment, sexual assault or rape, Hollywood has done its introspection. On set, new professionals plan sex scenes, assess the consent of the actresses and provide them with equipment to ensure that their dignity is respected.
New York-based intimacy coordinator Claire Warden sees an "incredible difference" since #MeToo.
Previously, "there was a lot of resistance from the industry, from directors, some actors, producers," she told French news agency AFP.
According to Warden, between 60 and 80 such coordinators currently work in the United States, and the Intimacy Directors and Coordinators' (IDC) programme, of which she is a part, is training more and more newcomers.
Cinema professionals are starting to do their aggiornamento, "after years of shouting into the void and pushing as much as we could to educate the industry," Warden says.
Prior to 2017, intimacy coordinators worked mostly in theatres and were conspicuously absent from film and television, where often isolated actresses depended on the costume department to cobble together props to cover their genitalia during sex scenes.
However, after the Weinstein earthquake, HBO hired an intimacy coordinator for its series 'The Deuce,' focusing on the New York porn industry of the 1970s. Its screenwriter, David Simon, announced that he would never work without one again.
The powerful channel, producer of global hits like 'Game of Thrones,' and 'Sex and The City,' then made the presence of an intimacy coordinator mandatory for all its series. Now, specialised companies offer thongs without attachments, silicone accessories and other adhesives adapted to different complexions or skin colors.
This is reassuring for young actresses, like Sydney Sweeney. In a recent interview with Variety magazine, the 25-year-old artiste, headliner of the 'Euphoria' series, explained that she "never felt embarrassed," thanks to the intimacy coordinators.
"It's a very safe environment. I'm very lucky to arrive at a time when so much effort is made in this process," she said. "Even when we accept something, they ask us on the spot the same day: 'Have you changed your mind? Because you can'. It's really good."
All is not rosy, however, because the industry has a long way to go when it comes to consent. Actress Christina Ricci, star of the series 'Yellowjackets,' thus revealed to Variety that a production had already threatened to sue her if she refused to participate in a sex scene.
"Actresses did not start speaking out in 2017," argues Claire Warden. "We had been talking for a very long time and no one was listening to us. The industry was really trying to drown out those voices."
She feels saying “no” is still perceived as a “dangerous” posture by many women in cinema. "We are conditioned" to believe you will be branded a diva, that you will not have a job, that no one will work with you, that you are not committed enough or not courageous enough," she notes.
Some coordinators also have to fight the idea that their presence can harm the creativity of filming, or nail other professionals to the pillory of the 'cancel culture.'
Given the Harvey Weinstein saga, many people were afraid of being perceived as predators, explains Jessica Steinrock, a coordinator followed by more than 500,000 subscribers on TikTok.
The job has nothing to do with human resource procedures, she insists. It's more about reducing risk and improving on-camera performance, much like there are stunt coordinators.
