Published on 23 November 2020 in Career

Directing Intimacy: A Career Development Webinar — Part Two

Following on from the fascinating first edition of our Two-Part Career Development Webinar, we are excited to invite our members to Directing Intimacy: A Career Development Webinar — Part Two.

For the second session, we welcome back Intimacy Coordinator Vanessa Coffey who will be joined by the acclaimed directors Ben A. Williams and Audrey Cooke, alongside our moderator for the evening, member of the Directors of Colour Committee, Suri Krishnamma.

Part Two will be a run-through and in-depth discussion on our updated guidelines – Intimacy in the Time of COVID-19 – summarising key aspects of the first session, and will include accounts and opinions from directors who have first-hand experience of shooting during these unprecedented times.

Among the areas we’ll be exploring are: who’s responsible for what?; narrative and technical alternatives for portraying intimacy; whether real-life partners should be used for moments when contact can’t be avoided, and more.

This session will be taking place on Wednesday 9 December from 5-6:15pm.

To secure your place, simply book via our event page by Monday 7 December. Attendees will then be sent a link to join the Zoom call.

BOOK YOUR PLACE FOR PART TWO HERE.


Vanessa Coffey

Vanessa Coffey is an Intimacy Coordinator (IC) working in film, theatre, and television.

With a background as a corporate lawyer, she re-trained as an actor before taking on the new role of IC. As the first and currently only, IC in Scotland, Vanessa’s work has seen her collaborate on shows for Netflix, Sky Original, BBC, Urban Myth Films and the National Theatre of Scotland.

Most recently she contributed to the Directors UK Guidelines, Intimacy in the Time of COVID-19, an update to the previously published Directing Nudity and Simulated Sex best practice guidelines for directing intimate scenes. This offers advice to directors to help create a safe working environment and offers a framework within which to create impactful and high-quality work.

Ben A. Williams

Ben A. Williams  is a director from London, UK.  His debut feature The Pass  was nominated for  Outstanding Debut at the 2017 BAFTA Film Awards.  

Ben has since directed episodes for major TV dramas Humans (AMC / Channel 4), Baghdad Central (Channel 4) and War of the Worlds (Disney Fox / Canal+)

Audrey Cooke

Audrey Cooke has directed some of the most popular and successful TV dramas, comedies and soaps. including The Bill, Holby City and Waterloo Road. She directed the first series of the ground-breaking This Life and two series of Kay Mellor’s BAFTA-nominated Fat Friends as well as Cardiac Arrest, The Heart Surgeon, The Visitor for C4’s Shockers anthology starring Daniel Craig, the feature film The Place Of Lions, and Frank Skinner’s sitcom Shane. More recently she has directed Death In Paradise and In The Club for BBC1, Midsomer Murders for ITV and Agatha Raisin for Sky One. She directed two episodes of the highly acclaimed I May Destroy You for the BBC and has directed both Coronation Street and EastEnders under Covid restrictions.

Suri Krishnamma

Suri Krishnamma’s film credits include Dark Tourist(2010) and A Man of No Importance (1994). Television credits include the award-winning A Respectable Trade and The Cazalets, and episodes of popular TV dramas including Waking the Dead and Cold Blood. Three-time BAFTA nominee, Suri studied at the National Film and Television school, is a past President of the Jury for the Munich International Festival of Film schools and Professor of Film at Norwich University of the Arts. In 2020 Suri also won the RTS award for the BBC4 film The Way Out.

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more