Joining as an Intimacy Director

An intimacy director is an artist who ensures that any staged intimacy — such as kissing, touching, simulated sex, or scenes involving vulnerability or power dynamics — is created safely, consensually, and artistically.

Because of the sensitive nature of the work, artists are required to complete specialized training to qualify as an intimacy director.

Joining Pathway

When applying to join Equity as an Intimacy Director, you will be required to submit a completed Intimacy Director Application form and supplemental materials as demonstrated proof of training and experience in the field.

Once verified, you will be invited to apply for membership. You’ll also find the following forms available in your myEquity account:

Member Application Form
Member RRSP form

At the same time, we’ll let you know the remaining balance of your initiation fee.

Some artists choose to wait before joining. If you don’t join immediately, the Membership team will contact you again when any filing fees you’ve accumulated are enough to cover your initiation fee.

Once you’re eligible, you can complete the forms in your myEquity account and begin the application process at any time.

Supplemental Application

Experience Requirements

Proof of at least three engagements as an intimacy director

At least one engagement must have been done on an Equity contract under a negotiated scale agreement (i.e., Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, Stratford Festival Addendum, Equity Second City Agreement or any of our negotiated ballet or opera agreements).
The other two engagements may come from work done under an Equity engagement policy (such as the DOT Policy, INDIE, or Festival Policy), in recorded media, on a non-Equity production or with a registered apprentice credit.
Only one apprentice credit may be applied towards joining.

Work done outside of Canada may be recognized.

Letters of agreement, programs, playbills, and other verifiable forms of participation in a production are acceptable forms of proof.

Proof of having completed at least 50 hours of intimacy training in a workshop or a classroom setting

Proof of training must be in the form of a certificate or other proof issued by the trainer at the end of the training. If no formal proof is available, a copy of the registration in the training may be accepted.
A complete list of course descriptions (including length)

Two letters of reference from two different productions

One letter must be from one of the following: Intimacy professional mentor/Director, Producer, Stage Manager, or other senior person who has seen you work as an intimacy director.
One must be from a performer that you have worked with in a capacity as an intimacy director.

The letters should address your comportment in the workplace, how your work helped to tell the story, aspects of your collaboration with colleagues, if you worked within the parameters and boundaries established, and if you shared practices with other artists, how effective your teaching skills were.

Training Requirements

You must complete at least 50 hours of intimacy training in a workshop or a classroom setting. This may be a combination in-person and online instruction.

At least 16 hours of in-person training in an intimacy direction program that included:

Choreography and staging of scenes within the rehearsal process (that may have been supervised remotely)
On site coaching
Training on consent and understanding the physical aspects of the work

Training in the following areas:

Psychological first aid
Mental health first aid
Script analysis and breakdown for IPs
Consent
Anti-harassment

Optional – Additional training in the following areas:

DEI/anti-racist/micro-aggression
Gender identity/sexual orientation training
Conflict resolution
Modesty garments, barriers and wardrobe
LGBTQ+ scenes

Initiation Fee

The cost of joining Equity is a one-time initiation fee of $1,200, plus payment of $100 (a half-year of basic dues), for a total payable of $1,300.

A portion of the filing fees you have paid will be applied towards your initiation fee, thereby reducing the amount of the one-time payment. Any remaining portion of the initiation fee owing, plus current basic dues, must be paid when you apply to join the Association, or you may provide the theatre with written authorization to deduct the balance of your initiation fee and remit it directly to Equity.

Working as a Permittee

Rights & Responsibilities