Intimacy: A field guide to finding connection and feeling your deep desires – with foreword from Gillian Anderson - Softcover

O'Brien, Ita

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1529954053 ISBN 13: 9781529954050

Publisher: Ebury Press, 2026

Synopsis

From the initial spark of attraction when your eyes first meet, to spontaneously dancing together in the kitchen and falling asleep side by side - how do we create those intimate moments of connection?

How we see sex and intimacy portrayed on screen has profound effects on how we learn to love each other, but before Ita O'Brien, no-one was thinking about it. After a lifetime of working in film and TV and seeing its abuses first-hand, Ita decided to change how we portray intimacy for good.

Now, as Intimacy Coordinator on productions including Normal People, Sex Education and I May Destroy You, Ita has transformed the way we see and talk about sex in pop-culture. Here, Ita guides us through how she helps actors create authentic sex scenes, and how we can use those techniques to rebuild a deeper and healthier connection with our bodies, create a safe space for exploration, and rethink how we navigate sex and intimacy in our own lives - at home, in our closest relationships - and in society as a whole.

Full of behind-the-scenes stories from her work on set, Intimacy is a call for us to rethink how we navigate ourselves and each other, not just through our words, but through our bodies and actions, too.

About this title

About the Author

Ita O’Brien is one of the world’s leading intimacy coordinators, and the creator of the Intimacy On Set guidelines, which are now used around the globe by leading production houses, including the BBC, HBO, Netflix and Amazon. Her numerous TV and film credits include Normal People, I May Destroy You, It’s a Sin and Sex Education on TV; on film, they include Empire of Light, Black Bag and We Live in Time. She also works in theatre and opera. Since the foundation of her company Intimacy on Set in 2018, in her work, interviews and lectures, Ita has been a passionate champion and leading spokesperson for best practice in the production of scenes with intimacy, sexual content and nudity. She continues to campaign for a safe, fair and dignified workspace for everyone.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ebury Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1529954053
• ISBN 13: 9781529954050
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384