Become an intimacy coordinator: test-drive the job before you switch careers

A typical day

• 9 am: read the new draft of the script, where two scenes have changed.
• 10:30 am: meeting with the director on the framing of sequence 12.
• 12 pm: one-to-one with an actress to update her limits sheet.
• 2 pm: fitting of the modesty garments with the dresser and the cinematographer.
• 3:30 pm: clothed rehearsal of the choreography, with a small group.
• 5 pm: send the closed set note for tomorrow's shoot.
• 6 pm: catch-up with the producers on the schedule and the kit.

How to become an intimacy coordinator

In France, no degree is legally required, but the CQP Coordinateur·rice d'intimité, introduced in April 2025, has become the industry's reference certificate. To prepare for it, you need at least five years' work in film or television, so it is usually a second career for actors, dancers, stunt performers or stage managers. Since October 2025, the CST and the audiovisual sector's training body (CPNEF) have offered a certifying course and three open modules. The modules cover the fundamentals of coordination, risk prevention and the legal framework, and the history of on-screen representation. In English-speaking countries, coordinators also usually come from performance or stunt work and train through specialist programmes. The G-Learn trial is a first step to discover the job; its certificate is not a qualification.

Pay

Pay varies widely by region and status. In France, most coordinators work as intermittent performing arts workers on fixed-term contracts paid by the day or week, depending on the budget and the length of the job. Newcomers often start alongside an experienced coordinator while they build a network of productions.

The hard parts

• Shooting days are long and schedules often change at the last minute. You must stay available and focused from the start to the end of the sequence.
• You sometimes have to stand firm with a director or a rushed production without damaging the relationship. Your role is to offer solutions, not to block the shoot.
• What people confide in you and the awkward situations you handle take an emotional toll. Knowing when to refer someone to a support line or a professional is part of the job.

Sources: France compétences — Métiers émergents 2025 · CST / CPNEF — Certification Coordination d'intimité (2025) · L'Etudiant — Coordinateur d'intimité · LCP — Recommandations de la commission d'enquête (avril 2025) · CNC — Formation VHSS et aides (décembre 2024)