Sex is back under the lens, more topical than ever with far- right conservatives throwing their weight behind Harvey Weinstein, and already won women’s rights around the world back up for debate. Director Kate Blackmore and Producer Bethany Bruce have collaborated to bring us Make It Look Real, an intelligent documentary which is an exploration of consent, intimacy coordination, and care in modern cinema.
After becoming a huge hit at SXSW and garnering enormous amounts of publicity, this Aussie team are ready to bring Make It Look Real to Sydney Film Festival, where it promises to spark vital conversations.
This isn’t the first creative triumph for Blackmore and Bruce. Over the past decade, Kate and Beth have carved out an impressive reputation for themselves, collaborating across five acclaimed projects. As a producing-directing duo, they bring both artistry and activism to the table — with a shared commitment to elevating women’s voices, and interrogating representation.
Their creative partnership began in 2015 when producer Bridget Ikin introduced them during a Screen Australia Enterprise People producing attachment undertaken by Bruce. This connection led to The Glass Bedroom (2017), a 6 part broadcast documentary series for ABC and Screen Australia’s ‘Art Bites’ initiative. The series explored how artists create for Instagram, setting the tone for Blackmore and Bruce’s thoughtful approach to storytelling.
Since then, the duo has continued to collaborate on impactful works like Video Becomes Us (2018, ABC), The Art of Collecting (2021, ABC), and the Sydney Film Festival premiering short The Butter Scene (2021).
Make It Look Real is a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood’s newest role, the intimacy coordinator. Featuring Claire Warden, the documentary humorously and insightfully examines how sex scenes are choreographed safely and collaboratively, all while reflecting on the entertainment industry’s post-MeToo evolution.
The documentary, produced by Daniel Joyce and Bethany Bruce under Projector Films and Staple Fiction, is distributed locally by Bonsai Films and internationally by Autlook Filmsales.
Irresistible caught up with the Kate and Bethany to talk about the future they’re helping to shape, and how that goes way beyond film.
Kate Blackmore: I primarily make documentaries, so I hadn’t worked much with actors before. I first learned about Maria Schneider’s experience on Last Tango in Paris — the infamous “butter scene” — and I was horrified. Maria wasn’t prepared for what happened. What you see on screen is real humiliation and real tears. Learning about that made me wonder: how could there be no support for actors in these situations? Shortly after, intimacy coordinators began to emerge, and we realised this could be a fascinating lens through which to explore the history of sex scenes in cinema — and how to do them ethically and safely.
KB: It is. Some actors, like Gwyneth Paltrow too, have said they don’t feel they need them. But what we learned making this film is that intimacy coordination is not just choreography. It’s working with writers to ensure scenes aren’t gratuitous, with directors to align with their vision, and with crew to create a safe environment for everyone. It’s misunderstood because most of the work happens on closed sets. Our film tries to demystify it — and show how it elevates the entire production.
You had a successful start at SXSW. How was that experience?
KB: Incredible! It was our first time there, and the audience was so broad — Gen Z right through to people in their 50s. It’s a real festival about the future — conversations, VR experiences, cinema, everything. We’re now in conversations with several broadcasters through our sales agent, A Look Film Sales.
Which are your favourite festivals on the circuit?
KB: Festival-wise, Sydney Film Festival and SXSW hold a special place in our hearts. Rising Festival in Melbourne is also doing incredible multi-arts work.
Any final thoughts?
BB: Just a huge thank you. We’re really excited to share this story, and we’re grateful for platforms that care about amplifying women’s voices.
