GAGE OXLEY
Intimacy Coordinator and Consultant
Gage has worked as an Intimacy Coordinator in film and tv, and is also training for Intimacy Direction for theatre. Receiving training since 2016 from a variety of established practitioners including Theatrical Intimacy Education, Moving Body Arts and CPD sessions with Intimacy for Stage and Screen and Alison.
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Gage's practice is trauma-informed, and works to provide representative depictions of sex and sexuality on screen. Find out more about their practice and work here.
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Intimacy and consent work has been around for centuries, including in the arts, though the named professional field of 'intimacy coordinator' is relatively new. It's important work, and it's especially important that those practicing this work are qualified to do it.
However, that does not mean certified. As Chelsea Pace (Intimacy Coordinator and Founder of TIE says, "A powerful individual could benefit by restricting access to knowledge and opportunity ... The existence of “certification” leverages systems of power that promote inequality, exclusion, and the dynamics of deeply problematic master-teacher models to capitalize, financially or otherwise, on gatekeeping access to knowledge and opportunity. Intimacy work–or more broadly, consent work–should shine a light on the long-established hierarchies of power in our industries- not perpetuate them." For a full (and brilliant) write-up about the dangers of accreditation and certification, look here.
Training.
2022
Intimacy: Working with Minors
2022
Intimacy Coordination: For Film and TV
2022
Intimacy: Best Practices
2021
Conflict Resolution Training
2021
Mental Health First Aid
2021
Sexual Harassment Prevention and Workplace Training
2021
Safeguarding Essentials
2021
Sexual Exploitation Protection Training & Serious Case Review Learning
2021
"Let's Talk About Sex, Baby" - BFI Future Film Festival
2020
Intimacy in a time of COVID: Directors UK
2020
Intimacy Coordination: Raindance Workshop
2016 - 2019
Intimacy Coordination Training: Film and Television
An eight-hour intensive exploring consent-based principles through the lens of working with minors to effective strategies for training the next generations of creative artists. A practical approach for teaching, rehearsals and on stage or set.
An eight-hour intensive covering navigating the collaborative process from pre to post-production, on-set practices, kit building, modesty garments and troubleshooting.
An eight-hour intensive covering tools for developing a consent-based process, setting boundaries, desexualising the process, choreographing intimacy and how to document scenes of intimacy.
A detailed session on ways of communication, early intervention of potential issues and training on mediation between conflicting parties to reach mutual agreement and find resolution.
A certified course on Mental Health First Aid practices including early intervention, communication and the services and support available. Specific tools were also provided for Youth Mental Health awareness.
A two-day course on workplace safety, offering support, training on sexual harassment recognition, identifying our policies as being zero tolerance, grievance and complaint procedure, documentation and line of management.
A course from the Humanitarian Leadership Academy exploring safeguarding practices for all, with a focus on child and vulnerable adult protection.
A course from the Virtual College, which focused on protecting children and vulnerable adults from sexual exploitation. This included identifying possible instances of child sexual exploitation, a process for safely managing wellbeing, and providing learning from serious case reviews.
I was a guest on the BFI's panel "Let's Talk About Sex, Baby!" alongside Dr Sian Barber (Senior Lecturer of Films Studios, Queen's University Belfast) and Ruth Eliot (Better Sex Workshops) to discuss the history of sex on screen, portrayals of sex in film and identifying heteronormative and misogynistic portrayals of sex in the media.
Directors UK released guidelines and training on how to work with stories and narratives with intimacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included navigating proximity and adjusting best practices to work within the structures and restrictions implemented for film production.
A workshop presented as part of Raindance, hosted by Yarit Dor of Moving Body Arts. The session explored best practices, establishing consent, creating boundaries and building a kit for intimacy coordination on screen.
Over a period of three years, I attended several sessions, training and workshops to better my skills on intimacy work. These include: consent based practices, race and racism within intimacy, queer sexuality and representations of sex, disability and sex, and deconstructing power training. I try to keep up with all of these regularly in refresher courses.
2022
Intimacy: Modesty Garments, Barriers and Masking
An in-depth review of current modesty garment and barrier options - including masking techniques for intimacy in both live performance and film.
2022
Intimacy in Improv
Exploring consent and navigating intimacy in improvised settings. Generating safe and collaborative environments where actors can perform and play with their roles without the "yes, and..." culture.
2022
Intimacy Direction for Theatre (Theatrical Choreography)
Working with techniques for choreography, introducing tools and learnings specific for live performance and stage.