Born out of the #Metoo movement, the intimacy coordinator (or coordinator) position is becoming more common on film shoots in Quebec. With one exception: porn film sets. Intimacy pro Roxane Néron tells us about her only experience in the X industry.
In normal times, Roxane Néron makes sure that the integrity of the actors and actresses is respected when filming scenes involving nudity, a sexual relationship, touching kisses or even sexual violence.
“My job is to ensure that there are no surprises when arriving on set, so everyone knows what to expect and is comfortable, while also making sure the director’s intentions are met,” explains the co-founder by INTImédia, a company specialized in this field.
She cites as an example a recently filmed scene in which a person was walking naked in a field.
“It’s an action that can be extreme. Will we see them in full? will it be cold Could she hurt herself? You have to think about all of that,” she said.
In 2021, his expertise was in demand in an environment that was previously unknown to him. She got the call from a producer who was about to make a film for Erika Lust, a leading figure in the world of feminist pornography.
“Erika Lust has decided to do a production here in Quebec and due to the nature of her productions, having an intimacy coordinator on set is a requirement. I didn’t even know it was porn at the time. I thought that would be a really great opportunity,” says the young woman.
Orgy, Lube and Viagra
In an interview with 24 Hours, Roxane Néron affirms that there is little difference between her work on a regular set and what was asked of her on set by Erika Lust. The ultimate goal remains the safety and well-being of the actors and actresses. It is the way to get there that is different.
“There are certain needs that are different. For example, we’re not talking about panties, we’re talking about the need for lube. What kind of lubricant do actors and actresses prefer? An anal enema was needed. In this case, it must be determined which? Others needed sildenafil (Viagra),” she explains.
For some scenes, it was also necessary to speak to the actors involved so that they could express themselves if they were unwell and prepare themselves mentally for the shooting, she continues.
“There were a lot of gay actors who had to act in straight sex scenes. So these are also issues that were addressed. are they comfortable You have to try to find the perfect context for it [à l’aise ]’ the pro hammered.
What struck you most about this shoot? “It’s the orgy,” replies Roxane Néron.
“There were three men and two women. Participating in an Erika Lust production creates the idea that everything is egalitarian. But eventually both women gave blowjobs and the third man pleasured another man instead of giving pleasure to the woman. So it was unbalanced. So I had to stop the scene and talk to the director to make sure the scene conveyed a more egalitarian image,” she explains.
“The principal listened to me and eventually agreed to let one of the women have cunnilingus. It wasn’t really clear to me at the time, but afterwards I said to myself, ‘Oh my God! I intervened because this orgy wasn’t egalitarian!” she continues.
Needs are ignored in Quebec
Motivated by her experience on the set of Erika Lust, Roxane Néron then offered her services to many Montreal-based porn production companies. None of these companies have deigned to answer him, she says.
“As far as I know, Quebec companies are not quite there yet. I didn’t even come back. However, after Los Angeles, Montreal is the Mecca of porn. So it’s not like porn is going to die [même si on ajoute une coordonnatrice d’intimité sur le plateau]. He will continue to have some, as is done with respect,” she said.
Several abuses of pornographic sets have been exposed in the media in recent years. The three famous porn actors Ron Jeremy, James Deen and Manuel Ferrara are accused of sexual abuse during the filming.
However, these allegations don’t seem to have caused the adult film industry to question itself: Erika Lust remains one of the few to enlist intimacy coordinators like Roxane Néron on her sets.
AD4X, Productions Québec, Pegas Productions, Bellesa: None of these Quebec-based porn production companies responded to our interview requests.
So even if establishing an intimacy coordination position could help develop more ethical pornography, Montreal-based companies don’t seem willing to change their modus operandi. At least not for now.