Debuting back in 2014, Outlander was adapted from the novels by American creator Diana Gabaldon. Outlander charts the adventures of Twentieth-century time traveller Claire Fraser (played by Caitriona Balfe) after she found herself within the 18th century and falling in love with Highlander Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). Throughout the course of Outlander, the sex scenes have played a vital part within the storyline and underpins the enduring love between Jamie and Claire.
Indeed, the Outlander novels feature many intimate moments leaving its fans hot under the collar.
When the show first began airing, Outlander didn’t have an intimacy coordinator with the actors and crew having to work on these scenes without additional support.
Season six of Outlander was the primary one to bring on board an intimacy coordinator after actor and producer Heughan approached Coffey to affix the show.
Heughan previously said he felt a terrific responsibility to the younger actors on the show and wanted them to have support when shooting these moments.
Coffey, whose previous credits include Sky series I Hate Suzie, BBC’s Rules of the Game, and Netflix’s fantasy teen drama Fate: The Winx Saga, coordinated the entire intimate moments in essentially the most recent outing.
READ MORE: Why was season 6 of Outlander so short?
Before her arrival, Coffey said the leading duo would have conversations in regards to the scenes and the way they envisioned them.
When it got here to working on Jamie and Claire’s scenes, Coffey said her role was more about tips on how to “enhance” these moments greater than anything.
Coffey said there was long process getting the scene from the page to the screens. She explained her approach to working: “I read through the script after which I might at all times speak with the show runners after which with the administrators.
“We’re really getting a creative vision for a way the actual intimate scene might be shot after which with that information, I’ll then go to the actors and talk with each of them individually about their views on the scene and in addition tips on how to the director and show runners see the scene, and whether or not they have a distinct perspective.
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“We then generally come together to have a conversation on the finish as a bunch, in order that we’re all on the identical page.
“From that time, we go into rehearsals, physical rehearsals, so it’s very much in regards to the choreography of the piece, the literal – what’s going to occur? That’s every little thing from a discussion about whether the characters undergo to orgasm; what we predict that may sound like; what the actual movements is perhaps; the length of the scene we’re attempting to film; what the general story arc is; [and] ensuring we hit throughout that inside the choreography.”
Once these discussions and rehearsals have taken place, Coffey goes on set to make sure what has been rehearsed is then shot with “minor adjustments” sometimes made.
She went on to say: “The method is one, I assume, that’s may be very choreographic. It starts out about something in regards to the protection and a bit of open communication between everybody and results in a state of, ‘Okay, what’s the physicality? What’s the literal stuff that we’re doing?’.”
Coffey said it was lengthy process with the conversations going down weeks before even the rehearsals, followed by the rehearsals themselves. This may be followed by one other rehearsal on the day of the shoot to make sure that the performance was “still hitting the beats”. Finally, shooting the scene itself could take anywhere between two to 6 hours.
Intimacy coordination has change into an enormous business inside film and tv now, coming within the wake of the #MeeToo era, with nearly every production bringing one on board to make sure the more racy moments are fastidiously choreographed and the performers feel secure.
From Sex Education and Bridgerton to I May Destroy You and Normal People, intimacy coordination has change into an industry norm.
She said her own journey into intimacy coordination was admittedly a “strange” one with Coffey trained as a lawyer, an actor and a dancer.
Despite being three “disparate things”, they proved to be a strong combination. While serving as a lecturer at her old drama school, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, she was approached by former students asking her for advice about nudity clauses of their contracts and even bringing her to set to assist choreograph scenes.
Her work quickly spread through word-of-mouth. She said: “These items began to construct and I started realising there wasn’t anyone who was doing that work. It was a job I used to be seeing.”
After hearing about Alicia Rodis, the intimacy coordinator on HBO’s 70s sex-trade drama, Coffey realised she was working in an analogous field and decided to enter intimacy coordination.
Although Outlander was late to the sport, Coffey is now firmly an element of the show and dealing on the forthcoming season.
Coffey has also been working on the brand new season of Vikings: Valhalla, which she said was a really different beast to Outlander each by way of its content and coordinating the intimate moments.
Outlander season 7 is in production
