“The director, writer, and producer should review the script together and agree which physical interactions need to occur between performers and decide whether substitutions can be made,” the report states. “Does a physical act need to be shown? If working within a series format, can the intimacy be delayed?”

The report adds, “You may even find inspiration by revisiting classic films such as ‘It Happened One Night’ (1934) or ‘Casablanca’ (1943) – some of the greatest screen romances ever made and all filmed under the Hays Code, which prohibited the depiction of sex on screen. Consider what tools classic works offer for contemporary storytelling.” Related Sundance’s Plan for Omicron: Boosters Required, Reduced Capacity, No Food or Drink in Theaters Jafar Panahi Among Activists Urging UN to Take Action on Iran’s Covid Crisis Related Oscars 2023: Best International Feature Film Predictions Nightmare Film Shoots: The Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from ‘Deliverance’ to ‘Mad Max’ to ‘Avatar 2’
Directors UK notes that “the build-up to an intimate scene can sometimes be more exciting than the scene itself” and that “emotional intimacy can be as engaging as physical intimacy.” Films released under the Hays Code with intimacy between characters support these claims, as the report states that characters “could be shown fixing their own clothes/re-dressing after the event” or body parts could be shown “moving under bedclothes.” Another option is to show “the closing of a bedroom door and leave the action to the viewer’s imagination.” In the situations where sex scenes are essential to the production, the Directors UK report states that crews should consider using motion capture, animation, or green screen technology to keep actors distant while making it appear they are close on screen. The report also recommends using an actor’s real-life partner for intimate scenes, which is something the CBS soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” tried in June. That production also utilized sex dolls to keep actors distanced. Click here to read the Directors UK report in its entirety. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.