Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ita O’Brien is the woman who changed the way we look at sex on screen. As the world’s leading Intimacy Coordinator, she has been the invisible hand behind the raw, authentic, and safe environments of Normal People, Sex Education, I May Destroy You, Industry and many more.
In this deep-dive interview with Sarah Smith for Directors Notes, Ita discusses the craft of capturing on screen intimacy and how she transformed a field once shrouded in silence, embarrassment and coercion into a professionalized, choreographed art form. From her early days as a dancer and actor to establishing the Intimacy on Set Guidelines, Ita reveals why clear communication and "embodied practice" are the ultimate tools for both directors and actors to achieve creative freedom.
Whether you are a filmmaker looking to improve your onset culture or a viewer curious about the mechanics of your favorite shows, Ita's insights into consent, boundaries, and the "power of no" are essential.
🔗 Find out more about Ita's work & her new book 'Intimacy': intimacyonset.com
🔔 Watch more interviews with visionary filmmakers on our channel: youtube.com/c/directorsnotes
🎥 Want to see your film here? Submit your work to Directors Notes: directorsnotes.com/submit
📬 Get filmmaking insights delivered: Subscribe to our free Newsletter: directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
📷 Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/directorsnotes
🎧 Listen to our Podcast: pod.link/192507317
👍 **Loved this deep dive?** Hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and turn on notifications so you never miss a conversation with the world's best filmmakers.
💬 Join the Conversation
What are your thoughts on the future of intimacy coordination? What film or TV show do you think had the most impactful use of intimate storytelling? Let us know in the comments below!
** VIDEO CHAPTERS **
00:00:00 – What Intimate Storytelling Actually Is
00:05:44 – From Irish Catholic Roots to Movement Director
00:09:47 – How the "Me Too" Movement Changed the Industry Forever
00:10:28 – Making History: Intimacy Coordination Firsts Sex Education & Gentleman Jack
00:13:01 – The Qualities Ita Looks for in New Intimacy Coordinators
00:18:06 – Choreography vs. Spontaneity: Debunking the Myths
00:25:09 – Navigating Consent: "Your Maybe is a "No"
00:30:17 – The 'I May Destroy You' Period Sex Scene - How Realistic On Screen Intimacy Make Our Live Better
00:39:51 – Reclaiming the Sensuous Body at Every Age
00:46:13 – Case Study: 'Keep Breathing' & Depicting the Grey Area of Consent
00:59:10 – Aftercare for Directors As Well As Cast
01:07:44 – The Right to See Playback: Protecting Actors Right Through to Post-Production
01:15:36 – Practical Exercises: 20 Connected Breaths & The Power of "No"
01:27:35 – The Future: Bringing Positive Sex Education to Schools
#IntimacyCoordination #ItaOBrien #IntimacyCoordinator #Filmmaking #normalpeople #imaydestroyyou #industry #SexEducation #Consent #FilmCraft #DirectorsNotes
Ita O’Brien is the woman who changed the way we look at sex on screen. As the world’s leading Intimacy Coordinator, she has been the invisible hand behind the raw, authentic, and safe environments of Normal People, Sex Education, I May Destroy You, Industry and many more.
In this deep-dive interview with Sarah Smith for Directors Notes, Ita discusses the craft of capturing on screen intimacy and how she transformed a field once shrouded in silence, embarrassment and coercion into a professionalized, choreographed art form. From her early days as a dancer and actor to establishing the Intimacy on Set Guidelines, Ita reveals why clear communication and "embodied practice" are the ultimate tools for both directors and actors to achieve creative freedom.
Whether you are a filmmaker looking to improve your onset culture or a viewer curious about the mechanics of your favorite shows, Ita's insights into consent, boundaries, and the "power of no" are essential.
🔗 Find out more about Ita's work & her new book 'Intimacy': intimacyonset.com
🔔 Watch more interviews with visionary filmmakers on our channel: youtube.com/c/directorsnotes
🎥 Want to see your film here? Submit your work to Directors Notes: directorsnotes.com/submit
📬 Get filmmaking insights delivered: Subscribe to our free Newsletter: directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
📷 Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/directorsnotes
🎧 Listen to our Podcast: pod.link/192507317
👍 **Loved this deep dive?** Hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and turn on notifications so you never miss a conversation with the world's best filmmakers.
💬 Join the Conversation
What are your thoughts on the future of intimacy coordination? What film or TV show do you think had the most impactful use of intimate storytelling? Let us know in the comments below!
** VIDEO CHAPTERS **
00:00:00 – What Intimate Storytelling Actually Is
00:05:44 – From Irish Catholic Roots to Movement Director
00:09:47 – How the "Me Too" Movement Changed the Industry Forever
00:10:28 – Making History: Intimacy Coordination Firsts Sex Education & Gentleman Jack
00:13:01 – The Qualities Ita Looks for in New Intimacy Coordinators
00:18:06 – Choreography vs. Spontaneity: Debunking the Myths
00:25:09 – Navigating Consent: "Your Maybe is a "No"
00:30:17 – The 'I May Destroy You' Period Sex Scene - How Realistic On Screen Intimacy Make Our Live Better
00:39:51 – Reclaiming the Sensuous Body at Every Age
00:46:13 – Case Study: 'Keep Breathing' & Depicting the Grey Area of Consent
00:59:10 – Aftercare for Directors As Well As Cast
01:07:44 – The Right to See Playback: Protecting Actors Right Through to Post-Production
01:15:36 – Practical Exercises: 20 Connected Breaths & The Power of "No"
01:27:35 – The Future: Bringing Positive Sex Education to Schools
#IntimacyCoordination #ItaOBrien #IntimacyCoordinator #Filmmaking #normalpeople #imaydestroyyou #industry #SexEducation #Consent #FilmCraft #DirectorsNotes
