Intimacy coordinators Ariel and Morgan are joined by Obsession's own intimacy and stunt coordinator Jen Albert to break down the 2025 horror film's most disturbing intimacy, violence, and non-consent scenes.

Together, they explore how Obsession evolved from script to screen, where the line between stunt coordination and intimacy coordination begins and ends, and why one of the film's most unsettling moments is terrifying without relying on gore.

In this episode:

• Why the infamous bedroom scene is so disturbing
• How intimacy coordination differs from stunt coordination
• The theatrical cut vs. the streaming cut
• Behind-the-scenes stories from filming Obsession
• Bloody dolls, Sugar glass, and Foam Bricks
• How actor collaboration and rehearsal shaped the final scenes

When horror and intimacy collide

Plus, Jen shares what changed from the original script, how the cast approached portraying non-consent, and what really went into filming the movie's iconic brick scene.

Scenes discussed:
Obsession (2025), approximately 44:46–45:32 and 1:36:56–1:37:24.

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Credits

Obsession (2025) | Written & Directed by Curry Barker | Starring Inde Navarrette, Michael Johnston, Megan Best | Intimacy Coordinated and Stunt Coordinated by Jen Albert

Hashtags

#Obsession #HorrorMovies #IntimacyCoordinator #StuntCoordinator #FilmPodcast

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Two intimacy coordinators sit down with Pose co-creator Steven Canals to break down how the FX series directed intimacy, queer love, and its groundbreaking sex scenes.

They discuss how the scene evolved from script to screen, the challenges of directing intimacy before the role of intimacy coordinator was fully established, and why portraying queer love with tenderness, not spectacle, mattered so deeply.

In this episode:

• The collaborative process between director, actors, and intimacy coordinator
• Balancing choreography with actor freedom and authenticity
• How intimacy coordination has evolved over the past decade
• Why queer intimacy deserves the same emotional depth as any love story
• The importance of consent, vulnerability, and trust in intimate storytelling

A filmmaker's lens on queer intimacy

Plus, Steven shares behind-the-scenes stories from making POSE, reflects on the show's lasting cultural impact, and tells us exactly how he'd ruin his own scene if he had to.

Scene discussed: POSE Season 2, Episode 8 ("Revelations"), approximately 3:38–5:47.

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Credits

POSE (Season 2, Episode 8: "Revelations") | Creators: Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy | FX (2019)

Hashtags

#PoseFX #QueerTV #QueerIntimacy #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown

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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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In this bonus episode, two intimacy coordinators break down the orgy scene from the Sense8 series finale — how it was choreographed and why it remains one of the most ambitious intimacy sequences ever filmed.

From choreography and consent practices to lighting, camera movement, and the challenge of coordinating a massive ensemble scene, they break down how the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski created a sequence that feels emotional, sensual, and deeply connected rather than purely explicit.

In this episode:

• Why foreplay matters for the audience, not just the characters
• The logistics of coordinating large-scale intimacy scenes
• Boundary-setting techniques, including touch mapping and traffic-light systems
• Why scenes of this scale require multiple intimacy coordinators
• The importance of diversity, representation, and body variety in intimate storytelling

A filmmaker's lens on ensemble intimacy

Then, as always, they hand out their Spice Scale scores before completely ruining the scene with some truly terrible creative notes.

Scene discussed: Sense8 finale special, approximately 2:21:00 – 2:26:00.

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Credits

Sense8 (Season 2, Episode 12: "Amor Vincit Omnia") | Creators: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, J. Michael Straczynski | Netflix (2018)

Hashtags

#Sense8 #Wachowski #BehindTheScenes #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown

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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators break down the famous psychic orgy from Sense8 and explain how the cluster sex scene was actually made.

From gym workouts and hot tubs to morning cuddles and group intimacy across continents, they're unpacking what makes this sequence so memorable and why it still feels unlike anything else on TV.

They get into it all:

• The surprisingly complicated consent questions that come with sharing other people's experiences
• The challenge of choreographing a massive multi-location orgy without rehearsal
• The actor's experiences behind the scenes and how an intimacy coordinator could have helped

Plus: German bathhouses, intimacy coordinator wedding hacks, Britney Spears throwbacks, and an extended discussion about what happens if someone in your cluster decides to have sex during your grandmother's funeral.

Want to watch along? Their reaction covers the orgy scene in Season 1 Episode 6 (Demons): 32:08-39:32.

-----------------------------------------

CREDITS — SENS8 (S1E6 "Demons")
Creators: Lana Wachowski; Lilly Wachowski; J. Michael StraczynskiDirectors: Lana Wachowski; Lilly WachowskiWriters: Lana Wachowski; Lilly Wachowski; J. Michael StraczynskiProducers: Grant Hill; J. Michael Straczynski; Lana Wachowski; Lilly Wachowski
Actors (featured in discussed scenes): Jamie Clayton; Freema Agyeman; Miguel Ángel Silvestre; Alfonso Herrera; Brian J. Smith; Max Riemelt; Tina Desai; Doona Bae; Tuppence Middleton
© 2015 Netflix / Studio JMS / Anarchos Productions / Georgeville Television. All rights reserved.

-----------------------------------------

It's Pride Month! Give back to your community this month by donating to some of our favorite organizations:

The Trevor Project

LA LGBT Center

Advocates for Trans Equality

Subscribe for weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

#intimacycoordinator #tvbreakdown #behindthescenes #queertv

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
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Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes and unlock exclusive bonus episodes.
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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators break down the sex and "incest factor" scenes in Dicks: The Musical and what the film is really doing with them.

Megan Thee Stallion. Nathan Lane. Puppet penises. A gay sex scene between twins that somehow becomes a camp masterpiece.

The A24 musical is absurd, offensive, and genuinely hilarious. They go behind the scenes that are not safe for work, unless your work is really cool.

In this episode:

• Why unrealistic sex can be funnier than realistic sex
• Walking 69s and spit takes
• LGBTQ+ representation on screen
• Puppet intimacy in theater

This episode is for you if:

• You love A24's weirdest movies
• You want to hear intimacy coordinators lose their minds
• You need queer comedy that isn't serious for once

Watch along timestamps:

• Opening scene: 0:50
• Sleepover scene: 1:10:00

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Credits

Dicks: The Musical (2023) | Director: Larry Charles | A24

Hashtags

#DicksTheMusical #A24 #IntimacyCoordinator #QueerComedy #FilmBreakdown

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Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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For entertainment and educational purposes only. All trademarks and copyrights remain with their respective owners.

Two intimacy coordinators break down the sex scenes in Secretary and explain what the film gets right — and wrong — about BDSM. Plus, the sexiest no-contact intimate scene in film history.

Maggie Gyllenhaal. James Spader. A desk. And a worm that somehow becomes the hottest moment in the movie.

Secretary changed how Hollywood talked about kink on screen. But does it hold up? Ariel and Morgan break down the iconic, controversial, and deeply weird BDSM film that people are still arguing about 20 years later.

In this episode:

• The worm scene — why anticipation and eye contact are sexier than touch
• The Peter problem: she's asking for domination. He's giving nothing.
• Why "no safe word, no conversation" is doing a LOT of heavy lifting
• Kink as emotional connection vs. kink as self-harm replacement
• Breath work that deserves awards and hand spasms that steal the show

The verdict: No notes. (Okay... some notes.)

Watch along timestamps:
• Peter scene: 1:08:00
• Worm scene: 1:10:00
• Aftercare/gardening scene: 1:41:00

This video is for you if:
• You love cult classics from the early 2000s
• You want to understand why Secretary is still discussed
• You're curious about BDSM representation on film
• You're a fan of Maggie Gyllenhaal or James Spader

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Credits

Secretary (2002) | Director: Steven Shainberg | Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Spader | Lionsgate

Hashtags

#SecretaryMovie #BDSMfilm #IntimacyCoordinator #CultClassic #FilmBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
Watch video versions on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes and unlock exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Instagram & TikTok @FakingItThePod
Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Never miss an episode — subscribe wherever you listen. Love the show? A 5-star rating helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

For entertainment and educational purposes only. All trademarks and copyrights remain with their respective owners.

Two intimacy coordinators break down the intimacy scenes in Brokeback Mountain, from the tent scene to what the choreography leaves unsaid.

Brokeback Mountain changed queer representation forever. It also left audiences with a lot of questions about how these scenes actually function.

From the infamous first tent scene to the long-awaited reunion, Ariel and Morgan break down what's working, what's not, and why these moments feel so tense without ever fully landing.

In this episode:

• The reality of prep, lubrication, and pacing for anal penetration
• How tension overtakes intimacy and why that leaves scenes feeling incomplete
• The difference between awkwardness that serves the story vs awkwardness from unclear choreography
• How the intimacy goes from zero to 100 and stays there

Plus: beans, spit logistics, near broken noses, and a very real conversation about how an intimacy coordinator would approach these scenes today.

A storyteller's lens on queer cinema

Ariel and Morgan zoom out to talk about Brokeback Mountain's massive cultural impact, the historical context it exists in, and why representation matters, even when the intimacy itself has room for growth.

Justice for lube. That's all they're saying.

Watch along timestamps:

• Tent scene: 27:30
• Rasslin' scene: 32:51
• Reunion scene: 1:03:07

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Brokeback Mountain (2005) | Director: Ang Lee | Focus Features

Hashtags

#BrokebackMountain #AngLee #IntimacyCoordinator #QueerCinema #FilmBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
Watch video versions on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes and unlock exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Instagram & TikTok @FakingItThePod
Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Never miss an episode — subscribe wherever you listen. Love the show? A 5-star rating helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

For entertainment and educational purposes only. All trademarks and copyrights remain with their respective owners.

Two intimacy coordinators break down the painfully awkward sex and puberty scenes in PEN15 and how the show films intimacy with adult actors playing kids.

PEN15 (Season 1, Episode 3: "Ojichan") is one of the most honest depictions of first arousal ever put on screen.

From the very first moment of "wait... what is happening to my body?" to the full spiral of can't-stop-won't-stop self-discovery, this episode captures the chaos, confusion, and intensity of discovering desire with absolutely no roadmap.

In this episode:

• The painfully accurate portrayal of first arousal: awkward, obsessive, and completely all-consuming
• Why casting adult actors as teens allows the show to explore this safely without crossing ethical lines
• How PEN15 captures the feeling of "I must be the only one experiencing this"
• How shame, secrecy, and silence around sex education shape those early experiences

A masterclass in storytelling through cringe

It's cringey. It's deeply familiar. And it turns one of the most private human experiences into comedy gold. We break down why this episode works and how it handles adolescent sexuality with both honesty and humor.

Watch along timestamps:

• Maya's first discovery: 0:41
• Classroom montage: 4:14
• The Closet/Walkman scene: 9:22

Yes, Ariel mispronounced Maya Erskine's last name. We know. We're sorry. We love her.

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most honest intimacy.

Credits

PEN15 (Season 1, Episode 3: "Ojichan") | Creators: Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Sam Zvibleman | Hulu (2019)

Hashtags

#PEN15 #MayaErskine #AnnaKonkle #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
Watch video versions on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes and unlock exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Instagram & TikTok @FakingItThePod
Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review
Never miss an episode — subscribe wherever you listen. Love the show? A 5-star rating helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

For entertainment and educational purposes only. All trademarks and copyrights remain with their respective owners.