November 30, 2020 | Filed under: Press Releases, Training
The New Mexico Film Office Launches New Intimacy Coordinator Training Program
SANTA FE, NM – The New Mexico Film Office (NMFO) announced a new Intimacy Coordinator (IC) training program today, aimed at increasing safety on sets in New Mexico. NMFO is partnering with the Intimacy Professionals Association (IPA) Intimacy Coordinator Training Program, taught by Amanda Blumenthal, to prepare individuals in New Mexico’s film and television industry to work as Intimacy Coordinators in full-length feature film and television productions upon completion of the training.
Intimacy Coordinators are a fairly new category of industry professionals who work on film and television productions to create a safer environment on set for actors performing in scenes involving physical touch, nudity, intimacy, and simulated sex, while also helping the director to achieve their creative vision. Intimacy Coordinators advocate for the safety and well-being of actors and become involved in the production process during prep, ensuring transparent communication and expectations between the actors and creative team. Intimacy coordinators are also available as a resource to the director and can assist with things like choreography and movement coaching, if requested to do so.
“In the wake of the #MeToo movement, arose this new role and career of Intimacy Coordinators in the film and television industry. Intimacy Coordinators are a critical component creating more safe, inclusive, and collaborative sets. Intimacy Coordinators are expert advocates and liaisons working with the performers, director, and producers to ensure a more strategic, transparent, empowered, and respectful dialogue and plan to execute intimate scenes and achieve artistic goals. As we continue to make New Mexico a world-class end-to-end production destination, ensuring safety on set is a top priority. We are very excited to work with Amanda Blumenthal to provide Intimacy Coordinator training right here in New Mexico, for New Mexicans,” New Mexico Film Office Director Amber Dodson said.
The training program is a sixteen-week course of online training, as well as a capstone weekend choreography workshop (pending COVID-19 restrictions). Students will learn the trade of intimacy coordination through a combination of lectures, assigned readings, experiential practices, homework assignments, quizzes, and mentorship. This training cohort may include up to twelve participants, of which, up to three spots in the program will be reserved exclusively for trainees from New Mexico. The New Mexico Film Office, with use of workforce development funds, will cover 60% of tuition for up to three New Mexico residents who are accepted to the IC training program.
All training will be provided by Amanda Blumenthal, founder of Intimacy Professionals Association. Amanda is an experienced intimacy professional and a sought-after presenter on the topic of intimacy coordination. Blumenthal has spoken at Women in Film, Film Independent, American Film Market, Association of Film Commissioners International, Women’s Production Society, Ghetto Film School, the USC Peter Stark Production Program, and more. In addition, she is a leader in the SAG-AFTRA joint initiative with intimacy coordinators to create standards and protocols for IC work, consulted with the Producers Guild of America (PGA) on developing materials for their Independent Production Safety Initiative (IPSI) program, and contributed to the Time’s Up Guide to Working in Entertainment.
“Intimacy Professionals Association is thrilled to be collaborating with the New Mexico Film Office on increasing accessibility to intimacy coordinator training for individuals in New Mexico. We deeply appreciate the NMFO’s investment in creating safer sets in New Mexico and hope that this work will quickly become standard on all sets in the state. We look forward to this partnership and identifying outstanding candidates who can serve the growing New Mexico film market,” Amanda Blumenthal, Founder of Intimacy Professionals Association, said.
The topics that will be covered in the training shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
“It’s extremely gratifying to see the entire industry recognizing the importance of Intimacy Coordinators through training programs like this and it’s precisely the reason we created standards and protocols to provide a framework for the use of professional, skilled intimacy coordinators throughout the entire production process. Through this training program, the New Mexico Film Office’s dedication to their ever-expanding film and television production industry will help ensure safer and more collaborative sets. We applaud their efforts and look forward to having more highly trained Intimacy Coordinators working in the industry,” SAG AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said.
The Intimacy Coordinator training program will commence on February 7, 2021. A virtual information session will be held on December 15, 2020 with Amanda Blumenthal and a panel of guests discussing the training, the career, and the importance of Intimacy Coordinators in the film industry. Those interested in attending the info session should register in advance at https://zoom.us/meeting/regist...
Applications can be found at www.intimacyprofessionalsassoc... and are due by January 10, 2021.