What to Expect

Interested in working with an intimacy director, but not sure what to expect? Here's a brief guide to how I work with producers and directors to create safe, ethical, and effective intimacy!

BEFORE REHEARSAL
I'll meet with you to ask a few artistic and logistical questions to get us on the same page. This can happen in person, over the phone, via email--any way that works best for you. I usually like to know: 

• How stylized vs realistic are you thinking?
• If this scene were in a movie, what would it be rated? G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17?
• What story do you want to communicate with this scene? Is there anything about the characters that this scene should reveal?
• Do you want to follow the stage directions pretty closely or do you have something else in mind?
• Anything you would like me to know about the actors, the production, etc?

Then I'll work with you and your stage manager to schedule a time for me to come into rehearsal. Staging intimacy may take anywhere from half a rehearsal to 2-3 rehearsals. 

AT REHEARSAL

• I'll lead a discussion and a few exercises with actors about how they're allowed to have boundaries and communicate them.
• I’ll teach actors a few tools to give them a way to communicate their boundaries, specifically “button” and “boundary practice”
• Once we’ve done those exercises, we'll all collaborate to create the intimacy with the actors' boundaries in place! In my experience, this runs smoothly if I take the lead while checking in with you often, and you are welcome to chime in at any point to change things.
• I’ll bring a few copies of handouts with reminders about the exercises, as well as a consent form for actors to fill out.
• I’m available for check-ins and clean-ups as needed!