Holding Space

A newsletter for entertainment professionals

Our goal is to create a community hub where best practices, real experiences, and practical tools come together to support safer, healthier collaboration across our industry. Whether you’re an intimacy coordinator, performer, crew, creative, or advocate for well-being, there's a place for you here.

Jasmine Nicole Jasmine Nicole

Building an intimacy kit

At the bottom of this list is a post written by Intimacy Professional Acacia DëQueer in 2022. As their website is no longer available, we have provided a copy here as a record for future reference.

Stocking an intimacy kit:

While each project will call for different items, here are some things you may find useful to have on hand as you are building your own kit for working as an Intimacy Coordinator in Film & TV. The Amazon links below are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program and payout a commission when utilized to purchase the items. You are encouraged to find local and sustainable sources for similar products where possible:

  • Recommended Sources for Intimacy Garments & Barriers:

  • Single Use / Single Portion Supplies:

    • Peroxide Mouth Wash (Alcohol Free)

    • Listerine Strips / Mints

    • Hypoallergenic Skin Wipes / Unscented Face & Hand Wipes

    • Pre-Pasted Toothbrushes (No Rising / Water Needed)

    • Skin Tone & Blue KTape / Topstick Tape

    • KN95 Face Masks

    • Electrolytes (unflavored / unsweetened)

    • Disposable Instant Hand Warmers & Instant Ice Packs

    • Cooling Patches

    • Dry Eye Drops

    • Latex Free Gloves

    • Adhesive Remover Wipes

    • Anxiety Sensory Stickers

  • Misc. Reusable Supplies:

    • Carabiner Clip Badge Reel

    • Mini Sharpie Keychain

    • Folding Scissors Keychain

    • Trauma Shears

    • Small Notebooks

    • Collapsible Stool

    • Posable Action Figures

    • Rechargeable Headlamp

    • Large Rechargeable Fan with Build in Solar Panel

    • Rechargeable Handheld Fan

    • Antibacterial Disinfectant Spray

    • Cooling Towels

Our shop on this website also has some Intimacy Garments and Barriers available that you may find useful. We are always eager to improve this list and welcome any additions you may wish to share.


Kit Fees

The price of an intimacy coordinator’s kit fee will vary depending on their standard provided supplies, scope of the project, cost of materials, and in some cases, the budget of the film. For most productions, the kit fee will cover the costs the reusable components that an intimacy coordinator provides to every project and the single-use components will be billed separately or purchased directly by the production.

It is important to note that most intimacy barriers are not included in the price of an intimacy coordinator’s kit fee as they are usually single-use/non-transferable, unique to the scene/production, and have high costs of production/shipping. A single intimacy barrier typically costs between $30 – $60 USD and should be ordered 2 – 6 months in advance due to limited supply.

To learn more about the price of an intimacy coordinator’s kit fee and other services visit the FAQs page.


The following guide was written by Acacia DëQueer | Published 2022-FEB-03 | IMDb https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm12453403/ | Email: contact@acacia.gay

What is an Intimacy Coordinator Kit & What is in it?

First off, let’s define what an intimacy coordinator kit is exactly. An intimacy coordinator kit is a collection of tools an intimacy coordinator uses for their job crafting scenes of intimacy for film and television. Each intimacy coordinator has their own preferences as to the tools they carry, but generally speaking, an intimacy coordinator kit contains items from the following categories:

  • Adhesives

  • Barriers and Cover-Ups

  • Hygiene

  • Mental Health

  • Miscellaneous Tools

In this article, I will list all the tools I carry in my intimacy coordinator kit. Because I am always looking for products that are more sustainable made, ethically sourced, and inclusive the exact products I use constantly evolve as I find new ones that meet my values and work best for my clients. This list is meant to give a general idea of the types of tools and products I use.

Adhesives

Adhesives are important to keep intimacy barriers or modesty garments in place, or at times can serve as an intimacy barrier or modesty garment themselves. I carry a variety of products for different purposes, skin colors, and sensitivities.

  • Body Tape

  • Dress Tape

  • Electric Tape

  • Medical Tape

  • Medipore Soft Cloth Surgical Tape

  • Moleskin

  • Spirit Gum

  • Tegederm Tape

Barriers And Cover-Ups

A variety of barriers and cover-ups are used for scenes of sex and nudity both on- and off-screen. In accordance with the new SAG•AFTRA guidelines, actors should never touch each other’s genitalia when filming scenes of sex, nudity, or intimacy. This is accomplished through a series of staging tricks including intimacy barriers. Modesty garments and other cover-ups are also important to make filming scenes of nudity or partial nudity more comfortable for actors and crew members. They prevent the camera and coworkers from viewing body parts such as genitalia, nipples, and the buttocks region. I carry a large array of products as well as designing my own. However, because a barrier might be unique for the scene depending on the choreography and comfort of the actors and because they are typically single-use/non-transferable products often need to be specially ordered for each production.

  • Body Padding

  • Camel Toe Concealer

  • Exercise Balls

  • Intimacy Barriers

  • Knee Pads

  • Latex Gloves

  • Medical Gauze

  • Modesty Garments

  • Robes

  • Rubber Gloves

  • Pasties

  • Shibue/Hibue

  • Yoga Mat

Hygiene

Whether it’s kissing, nudity, or even just a hug, people like to feel and look their best when they are getting up-close and personal on camera. I always like to come prepared with all the products necessary to feel fresh in any situation so that actors are confident in any position. To reduce the risk of transmission and empower actors to use the products they need I typically use travel-size products, compiling them into individual “goody bags” that the actors can put their names on and reuse for the duration of the production.

  • Alcohol Wipe

  • Baby Oil

  • Breath Mints

  • Bug Spray

  • Coconut Oil

  • Deodorant

  • Floss

  • Hand Sanitizer

  • Lip Balm

  • Menstrual Products

  • Mouth Wash

  • Razors

  • Shaving Cream

  • Tissues

  • Toothbrush

  • Toothpaste

  • Wet Ones

Mental Health

Performing intimate material can trigger any number of responses in an actor including fear, anger, anxiety, emotional distancing, and panic. An intimacy coordinator kit should have tools designed to bring people back to the present moment by appealing to the senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel. I also have tools for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to identify emotions and boundaries and to communicate needs efficiently.

  • Body Chart

  • Chocolate

  • Emotion Pillows

  • Essential Oils

  • Noise Cancelling Headphones

  • Pen & Pencils

  • Sour Candy

  • Stimming Toy

  • Tea

  • Weighted Blanket

  • Yoga Mat

There is a particular moment I remember prior to a big intimate scene that I shared with Acacia… I was on the verge of tears… They found some essential oils in their Mary Poppin’s like bag and suggested it might help. It did.

Miscellaneous Tools

There are a variety of tools I carry which I have found essential in various situations on-set and in the rehearsal room.

  • Drawing Figures

  • Notebook

  • Picnic Blanket

  • Pop-Up Changing Tent

  • Safety Sheers

  • Sewing Kit

  • Tape Measure

The following guide was written by Acacia DëQueer | Published 2022-FEB-03 | IMDb https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm12453403/ | Email: contact@acacia.gay


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a big thank you to the newsletter contributors

Pepper Carlson-Humphrey

Charlie Frost Olivares

Ariel Leigh Cohen

Hailey Mashburn

Tori McJunkin

Heather Ondersma

Olivia Ku

Jasmine Nicole