Is "Intimacy Director" a new job?

[unicorn]

Last week, we attended an LA Opera production of La Traviata, and I noticed in the program a title I've never seen before, "Intimacy Director." Have I just never noticed this before, or is this some kind of new position? I'm not sure what these people are supposed to do. Help only with the kissing scenes? The kissing did seem fine with that performance, but is this really something that the regular directors aren't trained to direct when they go to directing school or whatever? Or is this just wasteful featherbedding? In any case, aren't opera singers usually judged on their singing skills, and maybe acting--but kissing? I've never seen an opera review in which the critic commented on the singer's kissing skills. 

Here are their LA Opera webpages:

https://www.laopera.org/about-us/artists-2/creative-team/sara-widzer/

https://www.laopera.org/about-us/artists-2/creative-team/shawna-lucey/

Is Shawna Lucey somehow a capable director, who somehow lacks the skills to direct intimate scenes? It does look from their webpages that Ms. Widzer has an MM (a Master's degree), whereas Ms. Lucey has only a bachelor's degree. Would directing intimate scenes only be taught in graduate school? If so, why can't Ms. Widzer just do all the directing? Someone correct me if my first impressions are wrong, but this seems like a lot of union bullshit to me. 

[Keithambrose]

I have also seen this. All films seem to have it. I suppose its part of the woke culture. If you are an artist, Intimacy is inevitably going to be part of some performances.  Perhaps it's to guard against being accused of sexual harassment 20 years later!

[reader]

4 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

I have also seen this. All films seem to have it. I suppose its part of the woke culture. If you are an artist, Intimacy is inevitably going to be part of some performances.  Perhaps it's to guard against being accused of sexual harassment 20 years later!

+1

5 hours ago, unicorn said:

Someone correct me if my first impressions are wrong, but this seems like a lot of union bullshit to me. 

Sure.

Those who see division of labor as '"union bullshit" are invariably among those who've never been a union member.

Full disclosure statement: I've never attended an opera.

[tm_nyc]

6 hours ago, unicorn said:

a lot of union bullshit to me

Could be a combination of lawyer bullshit & union bullshit.

[vinapu]

6 hours ago, unicorn said:

Or is this just wasteful featherbedding?

............

Someone correct me if my first impressions are wrong, but this seems like a lot of union bullshit to me. 

both 

 

 

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

I have also seen this. All films seem to have it. I suppose its part of the woke culture. If you are an artist, Intimacy is inevitably going to be part of some performances.  Perhaps it's to guard against being accused of sexual harassment 20 years later!

this too

 

[unicorn]

4 hours ago, reader said:

...Those who see division of labor as '"union bullshit" are invariably among those who've never been a union member...

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Factually wrong. I was a union member for my entire career (30+ years).

[Riobard]

If you think it’s a novel gig in general then you haven’t been following half of the post content on this board.😉

[reader]

40 minutes ago, unicorn said:

I was a union member for my entire career (30+ years).

So you lapped up union benefits for thee plus decades but now choose to bad mouth vehicle that made it possible?

[unicorn]

2 hours ago, reader said:

So you lapped up union benefits for thee plus decades but now choose to bad mouth vehicle that made it possible?

Obviously, I believe collective bargaining is important. I worked hard at my job, and my union never abused their functions. 

 

[Marc in Calif]

16 hours ago, unicorn said:

Have I just never noticed this before, or is this some kind of new position? I'm not sure what these people are supposed to do. Help only with the kissing scenes? The kissing did seem fine with that performance, but is this really something that the regular directors aren't trained to direct when they go to directing school or whatever? Or is this just wasteful featherbedding? In any case, aren't opera singers usually judged on their singing skills, and maybe acting--but kissing? I've never seen an opera review in which the critic commented on the singer's kissing skills. 

Yes! You've never noticed it before.

However, it's nothing new in film and theater productions. Don't you live in Los Angeles? ☺️

I believe it's the performers themselves who originally requested this type of assistance when rehearsing scenes that require physical intimacy (and, yes, sexual intimacy) with other performers.

It's definitely not taught in traditional theater and music departments. It's more psychology than directing or singing. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intimacy_coordinator

[unicorn]

1 hour ago, Marc in Calif said:

Yes! You've never noticed it before...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intimacy_coordinator

Well, according to that Wikipedia page, these positions are a fairly new development, developed in the aftermath of the Weinstein scandal:

"...In October 2018, television network HBO adopted a policy of using intimacy coordinators for all its series and films with intimate scenes. Intimacy coordinators and workshops teaching best practices for intimate scenes began being used in London theaters in 2018. In January 2019, Netflix released Sex Education, its first production that used an intimacy coordinator, Ita O'Brien."

They may have just started using them at the LA Opera. It seems especially silly and wasteful to have such people at the opera (these are not exactly racy scenes), but I suppose the function is to shield the director from liability. More $$$ down the drain. 

[caeron]

 

It seems perfectly reasonable to me to have someone who can help the actors walkthrough and negotiate a scene. I imagine all the male posters here have never had the experience of being groped or raped, but lots of women have. Negotiating and designing the scene upfront prevents any misunderstandings or male actors taking liberties in the name of 'art'.

And I imagine it does help limit liability and future problems.

 

[unicorn]

5 hours ago, caeron said:

 

It seems perfectly reasonable to me to have someone who can help the actors walkthrough and negotiate a scene. I imagine all the male posters here have never had the experience of being groped or raped...

It sounds as though you'd be surprised. I got forcibly fondled and groped by my gym teacher when I was 12. I reported the episode immediately. At my 20-year reunion, I found out he did that with a number of other boys. I obviously understand actors need direction with each scene. My surprise was that a director (especially a female director with a university degree in directing) couldn't take care of it--especially since this was simply an opera with only a few kissing scenes (nothing really intimate). I understand the need in some movies, etc., but--really?--a 19th century Verdi opera?

[caeron]

>>Sara is the intimacy director and consent consultant for LA Opera.<<

Sara Widzer got a credit. Have you been to the movies lately. If you were in a room where making the movie was discussed you get a credit these days.

It seems ridiculous to me, but then it isn't my industry and I don't know what having a credit really does for you. I do recall reading about tech companies some time ago offering people bigger titles if they'd take less pay. Some people took them up on it, since it would help with their next job.

 

 

 

[Marc in Calif]

On 5/5/2024 at 7:57 PM, unicorn said:

 My surprise was that a director (especially a female director with a university degree in directing) couldn't take care of it....

University theater programs don't train stage directors to be choreographers or Elizabethan sword-fighting experts, do they? Those are separate fields that have their own trained experts for the stage. 

So stage directors are similarly not trained to be experts in sexual harrassment, personal consent and boundaries, or conflict negotiation. That's why initimacy coordinators are now regularly part of theatrical productions of all types. 

I don't expect you to understand (or accept) all of this. If you don't want to pay "more $$$ down the drain," you might want to stay away from expensive shows. Sounds simple to me. 😉

 

[unicorn]

On 5/9/2024 at 12:39 PM, Marc in Calif said:

...So stage directors are similarly not trained to be experts in sexual harrassment, personal consent and boundaries, or conflict negotiation. That's why initimacy coordinators are now regularly part of theatrical productions of all types...

I thought of your snide comments while my fiance and I were watching a Family Guy episode in which Peter was hired as a "Fat Guy Consultant" to give legitimacy to a movie they were making about Chris Christie. Another example of a BS title, with which directors have done without for thousands of productions of La Traviata over the centuries. Essentially a bunch of BS done just for show (At least for a 19th Century opera without racy scenes).