Are The Outlander Intimate Scenes Choreographed By Professionals?

On set, intimate scenes are actually pretty methodically planned out. Shows like ‘Outlander’ often have an intimacy coordinator or movement director who work closely with the director and the actors on the scene to really plan out all the details. They sit down to write out an intimacy plan or a rider for the scene which includes all of the actors’ consent boundaries, exactly what will happen, where the cameras will be, how long they’ll have to rehearse it before shooting. It’s actually all about creating a safe space for actors to act naturally and get into character without feeling threatened or put on the spot.

Most intimate scenes take place in a closed set with a minimal crew, actors perform specific movements and are directed to particular camera marks. Actors can be covered from waist to chest with garments of their choice to maintain modesty. In terms of the final product, lots of hard work goes into creating what looks like raw emotion – the actor’s performance, the staging and editing all combine to create a special final product, which I really admire.

No, those scenes weren’t made on the spot. Everything you see in ‘Outlander’ has been choreographed, rehearsed and safely executed by Intimacy coordinators or movement directors. They plan out the scene in detail and work out who will touch who and where the cameras will be.

In all of the scenes with intimacy there is a huge amount of focus put on consent and on the comfort of the actors involved. Actors will discuss boundaries beforehand, actors will be wearing modesty garments where required and rehearsing on a closed set so that the technical team can get the required shots without making the actors feel uncomfortable. The rest of the camera, lighting and editing comes together to create the illusion of what is happening and most scenes are comprised of several carefully staged moments that are then edited together to give the illusion of a single, raw take. It allows the actors to focus on their performance and for the emotional moments to hit harder which is what I love about the intimacy scenes in Outlander.

The intimate scenes from Outlander have many wondering whether they are being played out spontaneously or not. For many films and television series, on-set intimacy is planned in advance with a director, writer and/or producer working with an intimate specialist who designs scenes to keep the actor safe. The movements, eye contact and physical contact can be choreographed in the same way a fight choreographer would plan a sword fight for a scene. The actors will rehearse the scene(s) before shooting and use items such as modesty garments or barriers to meet their personal comfort level and to adhere to the established boundaries of what is and is not allowed.

In addition to the scene planning, the shooting and editing of the scene creates a lot of the intimacy that the audience sees. In close up shots, the audience only sees what the camera wants them to see. This is especially effective in period dramas such as ‘Outlander’ where characters wear corsets and a lot of layered clothing. Intimate moments can be created through the way in which clothing is worn and the use of close up shots. The wardrobe can also be part of the scene planning and can change throughout the scene. This allows for what is possible within a historical setting and adds to the overall respect of the scene and the actors within it.

There’s been lots of talk on set of how the filming of intimate scenes is fully choreographed just like fight scenes. The actors, intimacy coordinator and director collaborate to figure out all of the physical contact required in order to tell the story, as well as the best angles to capture it from. And yes, that’s all agreed upon in advance and fully rehearsed. Now, since #MeToo, there’s been so much more attention to documenting agreements, to having lots of rehearsals, to having the maximum amount of safety to prevent anyone feeling pressured to do something that makes them uncomfortable. On ‘Outlander’ this is achieved while still creating chemistry between the leads, which looks completely natural.

Also the costumes and the hair of the actors can be part of the intimacy choreography. A period costume can be very restrictive or very revealing, so the wardrobe department has to work closely with the intimacy coordinator. It’s all about creating powerful moments on screen while protecting the actors and I think the smart staging of the scenes actually makes them more believable.