Australia now has its first ever set of intimacy guidelines for stage and screen, a result of 18 months of industry consultation by a dedicated committee of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (Meaa).

The guidelines, freely available on the Meaa website, aim to establish new processes for work involving nudity, intimacy, simulated sexual activity and sexual violence, so that actors are best prepared and supported.

They cover off on best practice for situations spanning the entire filmmaking process from casting and auditions through to post-production and marketing.

Screen Producers Australia (Spa), the Australian Directors’ Guild (Adg), the Casting Guild of Australia (Cga) and the Meaa National Stunt Committee have each endorsed the document. All were part of the consultation process, alongside individual actors, fight directors, theatre directors, stunt co-ordinators, intimacy co-ordinators, intimacy directors and the Australian Writers’ Guild (Awg).

The guidelines follow on from a series of workshops and seminars...