A Day in the Life of an Intimacy Coordinator & Porn Producer
Tiana GlittersaurusRex (she/her) is a polyamorous educator and activist creating cannabis and sex-positive educational content and events. She is also the co-founder of The Sex Worker Survival Guide, a non-profit organization advocating for the rights and safety of sex workers, and founder of the GlittersaurusRex production brand.
Tiana recently worked as an intimacy coordinator for No Translation, a new afterglow original movie directed by Maximus Skaff (he/they), starring Lex Valor (they/them) and Roxanna (she/her). In this ‘A Day in the Life of…’ feature Tiana talks us through her day on set.
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Intimacy coordinators have been gaining popularity on mainstream movie and series sets since the #MeToo movement. The first to employ an intimacy coordinator on set was HBO’s The Deuce and they’re now found across mainstream sets. HBO was again first to adopt a policy whereby all shows with intimate scenes are staffed with an intimacy coordinator, with Netflix and Amazon Prime following suit.
The intimacy coordinators are trained to choreograph the simulated sex scenes between the actors but they also mediate between the actors and director to ensure performer safety alongside the artistic vision.
Intimacy coordinators in porn
While this role has been gaining popularity, there is also a growing movement of intimacy coordinators working with real sex scenes in pornography. These people are involved from the beginning in discussions with the director and performers. On shoot day they ensure that everything goes to plan, that performers boundaries are respected, there are no last minute changes, and they are a go to person for the performers’ concerns or needs.
Tiana explains how she got started as an intimacy coordinator, “I studied psychology in college while working on mainstream productions and a few years later I started training as a professional dominant. Once I began curating sessions for submissives, I also curated kink events (especially for people of color new to the lifestyle).
“I took the lessons and tools from hosting these in-person or virtual experiences and then applied them to the opportunities I received while working with Royal Fetish Films. Jet Setting Jasmine & King Noire were my guides to have the highest industry standard for safety on set.”
What does an intimacy coordinator do on set? How do they really mediate between the director and performers? Tiana walks us through a day in her life on set.
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A day in the life of an intimacy coordinator & producer
The night before the shoot
I love to prepare as much as I can the night before. So I make sure any supplies, paperwork or personal necessities are packed and ready to go. I also go as far as to lay my clothes out so I don’t have to think about what to wear tomorrow and I check the weather conditions to know what we may be facing for our exterior scenes.
Shoot day
8am – Wake up
I wake up and check my phone for any updates I may have missed while sleeping. I lay in bed for 30 minutes before heading to the bathroom. My skincare routine helps me reset and ground myself. It’s my time for self care so I can better support the team that needs me.
9am – Coffee and check-in
I have my coffee with oat milk and some puffs from my vape pen. I check in with the director since I haven’t heard from him and then follow up with the talent in our group chat.
10am – Leave for the shoot
I leave my apartment with all the paperwork I need crew and talent to complete and my snacks so I don’t get hangry on set. Even with built in breaks into the schedule I always make sure I have fruit and water on my person. My supplies are a litany of items for first aid, fashion mishaps, quick hygiene needs, and more. Like the scouts I like to be as prepared as possible. Once I know everyone’s ETA to our first location, I feel confident about starting the day according to schedule.
11am – Check-in
As one of the first people to arrive on set I get all the paperwork out and ready to distribute. I also check-in with how everyone is feeling emotionally and mentally before we start filming. I make sure to talk to talent and crew so I can give feedback to the director. Our first scene is outside a subway stop in Brooklyn and in public.
12pm – Paperwork and boundaries
We start the intake video of everyone completing their paperwork. We review the script and talents’ pre-negotiated boundaries. I make sure everyone has water and has taken care of all their “pre-care” items shared the week before.
Once we start filming the first scene I help redirect the people walking past to avoid the shot.
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1pm – Exterior shots in public
For the second shot we need to switch venues, so I help with a backup plan and negotiate with the proprietor. Since it is another exterior shot in public I make sure the talent and crew have the space they needed to film without blocking the sidewalk.
During this time I receive a call from our next scene location who tells me that there was a possible exposure to bedbugs. I quickly need to find an alternative location.
2pm – Last minute venue change
After several phone calls and texts I’m able to secure a space and instruct the crew where to set up.
3pm – Dinner orders
After helping everyone get settled into the new location, setting up the craft service and making coffee, I focus on getting everyone’s dinner order for delivery.
4pm – Giving the talent alone time
By now we’ve completed the first interior shots, pre-scene interviews and started the bedroom shots. The talent asks for time alone to get to know each other better and build on the chemistry between them. I notify the director of their request and once he approves I update the rest of the crew.
5pm – Sex scene
While the crew is on break for talent the food arrives. We need to decide whether to break like scheduled or push through to keep the sexual chemistry and energy between the talent. I pull the talent & crew aside privately to get their honest feelings about breaking vs pushing through.
Once everyone has shared their thoughts with me I share everything with the director. Since everyone but one crew member feels that we can push through I talk to that one individual. We come up with an alternative for them to feel supported while we continue the scene.
6pm – Break time
The sex scene is finished and we’ve shot the after sex dialogue, so we all break for food. I make sure the talent has everything they requested for their after-care before eating my food.
Aftercare is whatever that person needs to reset and ground themselves from whatever they just experienced. Some people need alone time away from others. While others may need cuddles/physical touch, positive affirmations, a treat or water.
7:30pm – Post-scene interviews
We finish eating and set up for the post scene interviews with talent.
8:30pm – Exit interviews and payment
I film all the talent being paid by the director after they complete their exit interviews.
9pm – It’s a wrap!
We wrap talent and crew as originally scheduled in the call sheet! Even with all the changes and shifts in the original plan we were able to stay calm and collected as a team. Everyone communicated their needs and boundaries throughout the day which made my job even easier to facilitate positive outcomes for all parties involved.
10pm – Clean-up
Cleaning person arrives and I supervise to make sure everything is reset how we found it
11pm – Bed time
I roll myself a joint, bask in the success of the day, shower and head to bed.
The next day
The next day I send everyone a text to follow up about any questions or concerns from the day before. I want to confirm everyone felt good about their experience and no boundaries were crossed. I also give the talent a questionnaire they can complete for additional feedback at any point.
Watch No Translation on afterglow
Two lovers on a date, exploring each other’s bodies, and having sex the way they want to – free of the cis gaze. In this afterglow original movie starring Lex Valor (they/them) and Roxanna (she/her) trans sexuality is centered and celebrated. Directed by Maximus Skaff (he/they), this is t4t sex at its best.