For those who work on productions in on-set environments, it is well known how immersive the experience of bringing a film to life can be. Working as part of a tight-knit crew for weeks or months can be an incredible experience, creating a familial atmosphere as a group uses their collective physical, intellectual, and emotional effort to bring a creative project to fruition. However, it also comes with challenges, particularly regarding mental health, as individuals are separated from their loved ones, friends, and family. While the closeness is largely a positive (i.e., the familial experience), it can also affect people’s emotions, which may be heightened during this intense period. The on-set environment can blur the usual personal and professional boundaries between colleagues, leading to an atmosphere of over-familiarity.
It is well known and increasingly common practice within the film and TV industry to establish boundaries and support for performers during intimate scenes. Intimacy coordinators work with actors and others involved in performing intimate or sensitive scenes to choreograph these moments similarly to how a stunt coordinator would. Intimacy professionals employ techniques at the end of a scene or body of work, such as a “tap out,” which refers to the practice of concluding an intimate scene. This involves thanking another actor for their work and performing a double high five to help ground them in the room—essentially acknowledging that the scene is finished and that the actors are returning to their real lives. It serves as a small reminder that the feelings elicited during the scene may not reflect their everyday emotions.
However, there has been less discussion about crew members advocating for their boundaries and their ability to stand up for themselves within the wider crew. This is where hiring a Wellbeing Facilitator can be beneficial, offering support similar to that provided by Intimacy Professionals for performers, helping to maintain personal boundaries and support for the rest of the crew. A Wellbeing Facilitator can serve as a steady, grounded presence, helping to uphold boundaries and providing effective interpersonal solutions to address the problems that inevitably arise when a group of passionate individuals works under tight deadlines.
From the beginning of production, Wellbeing Facilitators can work with Heads of Departments to help establish production values that contextualise boundaries. They can draft plans for a unified approach and agreed-upon crew behaviours for the rest of the team to follow, creating a shared code of practice for the entire production to uphold together.
Should issues arise (e.g., interpersonal conflicts, difficulties between crew members, or over-familiarity), a Wellbeing Facilitator can act as an intermediary between heads of departments and other crew members to maintain and uphold these boundaries throughout the process.
Much like the “tap out” technique used in intimacy work, a Wellbeing Facilitator can provide the same level of support for the rest of the crew and actors, even outside of intimate scenes. This support is particularly important given the heightened emotional atmosphere that arises from working on a production for an extended period. It is very common for crew members—especially those who are less experienced and not accustomed to this environment—to experience an emotional and physical comedown at the end of a production’s lifespan, serving as a form of closure. A Wellbeing Facilitator can work with any cast and crew members who may have concerns about what comes next or who are struggling to let go of the work they have just invested themselves in. They can organise conversations to help production members contain, process, and categorise the feelings that have arisen while working on the project, aiding in reframing the experience to prepare for the next step in their lives.
Written by 6ft From The Spotlight WellBeing Facilitator, Alexandra Healy.
