The U.K.’s foremost film college has launched a new intimacy coordinator certificate to help meet the rising demands of the industry.
With shows such as “Normal People” and “I May Destroy You” having helped bring the work of intimacy coordinators to the forefront of conversations in recent years, The National Film and TV School has now introduced its first certificate in intimacy coordination for film and TV.
Taking place at the NFTS’ campus in Leeds, the intensive six-month course was developed in collaboration with coordinators from the U.K., Spain and the U.S. and under the advisory of crew union BECTU’s Intimacy Coordinator training branch, with a curriculum it says “aims to set a new standard in the field.”
Set to begin in May 2024 under the guidance of Haley Muraleedharan, who has served as intimacy coordinator on a number of film and TV projects, the part-time course has space for 10 students who will take place in a total of 150 hours of comprehensive training.
In a statement, the NFTS said the emergence of intimacy coordinators —whose remit extends to coordinating any sequences involving physical contact, emotional intensity or nudity —marks a “pivotal shift toward a more conscientious and inclusive filmmaking environment.”
“As a long-term advocate of creating achievable opportunities in the North of England and as a member of the BECTU IC training group, I’m thrilled that the NFTS have such a commitment to providing this high quality, certified intimacy coordinator training in Leeds,” Muraleedharan said. “All tutors involved are highly experienced intimacy professionals working in industry across HETV and film.To have a network of best practice for students to draw upon throughout their certification journey is an incredible career boosting opportunity, in a department where it has historically been difficult to navigate a viable route in.”
Speaking recently in London, Elliot Page praised working with an intimacy coordinator on his latest feature “Close to You,” adding that he was amazed that they hadn’t been present on productions earlier in his career. “I’ve never ever had this before, and I’ve been working since I was 10 years old,” he said. “There are really vulnerable moments and people should be taken care of.”
