Intimacy Director
Safe, Sexy Storytelling
What I do
When I come onto a project as an intimacy director, I am a choreographer, an advocate, and a liaison between actors and production on scenes involving nudity, physical intimacy, and/or high-stakes emotional intimacy. I like to think of it like this: I’m here to keep actors safe, the scene sexy, and help the director tell their story.
Safe
As an intimacy professional, my first priority is the physical and emotional safety of actors involved in moments of intimacy and their understudies. From day one, I use tools like boundary practices, pause words, and tap-ins to create a consent-based workspace. These tools and practices are not meant to slow down the flow of rehearsal — quite the opposite! I find that establishing a safe, consent-based culture early on makes for a more efficient process and opens up creative possibilities that would have otherwise been stifled.
Photo from Wolves, 2025, by Couchpenny Ensemble. Photographer: Kyle Bode
Pictured: Nathaniel Thomas as Wolf, Tanner Garmon as Jack
Sexy
I’m using the term sexy in this case as a catch-all. Intimacy isn’t always about hot, steamy sex. Sometimes, an intimate scene needs to play romantic, sweet, innocent, scary, violent, sad, or funny — and sometimes it is about hot, steamy sex. My job is to make sure it reads that way. It’s helpful to think of an intimacy choreographer the same way you would a dance choreographer: Maybe, as a director, you need your actors to perform a waltz. You know the basic steps, so you could just teach them yourself and have a dance that serves the scene. Or you could hire a choreographer who specializes in partner dance to create a moment that not only serves the story, but incorporates moves you never would have thought to use.
Photo from Wolves, 2025, by Couchpenny Ensemble. Photographer: Kyle Bode
Pictured: Nathaniel Thomas as Wolf
Storytelling
Just like any other designer, at the end of the day, I’m here to help tell the story that the director and playwright want to be told. My process begins with the director. What do you want out of this moment of intimacy? The better idea I have of the story the director is trying to tell, the easier it is to work with the actors to craft a moment that serves the correct purpose. There are many ways to tell the same story, and as the liaison between actor and director, it’s my job to find a way that is safe, effective, and impactful.
Photo from Wolves, 2025, by Couchpenny Ensemble. Photographer: Kyle Bode
Pictured: Noah Hall as Ben
"Wolves" (2025) by Couchpenny Ensemble. Pictured: Nathanial Thomas as Wolf and Tanner Garmon as Jack. Photo by Ian Mason.
"Wolves" (2025) by Couchpenny Ensemble. Pictured: Nathanial Thomas as Wolf and Tanner Garmon as Jack. Photo by Ian Mason.
"Wolves" (2025) by Couchpenny Ensemble. Pictured: Nathanial Thomas as Wolf and Tanner Garmon as Jack. Photo by Ian Mason.
"Wolves" (2025) by Couchpenny Ensemble. Pictured: Nathanial Thomas as Wolf and Tanner Garmon as Jack. Photo by Ian Mason.
"Wolves" (2025) by Couchpenny Ensemble. Pictured: Nathanial Thomas as Wolf and Tanner Garmon as Jack. Photo by Ian Mason.
"Wolves" (2025) by Couchpenny Ensemble. Pictured (L-R): Noah Hall as Ben, Emma Parsons as Narrator, Tanner Garmon as Jack, and Nathanial Thomas as Wolf. Photo by Ian Mason.
"Wolves" (2025) by Couchpenny Ensemble. Pictured: Noah Hall as Ben and Tanner Garmon as Jack. Photo by Ian Mason.
Let’s work together!
Rates for intimacy design and direction are determined on a project-by-project basis. Fill out the contact form below, and we’ll chat about your upcoming production!