IDC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield IDC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A performer visibly trembles and their speech becomes halting mid-rehearsal. A trauma-informed coordinator should: → Call 'cut,' create space, and gently check in without demanding explanation
2. In Laban Movement Analysis (LMA), the 'Effort' category most directly informs intimacy choreography by describing: → The qualitative dynamics of how movement is performed
3. Which nervous system regulation technique is commonly taught in IDC facilitation training to help actors self-regulate before and after intimate scenes? → Box breathing or similar breath-based grounding exercises
4. An effective pre-scene check-in between the intimacy coordinator and performer should include which of the following? → A review of agreed choreography and confirmation of comfort levels
5. How should privacy be protected legally? → Restrict access and secure data
6. Under IDC standards, which person holds ultimate authority over an actor's personal boundaries during intimacy work? → The actor themselves
7. An actor tells the intimacy coordinator they are 'fine' but body language suggests discomfort. The IDC-aligned action is to: → Gently name the observed non-verbal cues and invite a more detailed check-in
8. In the context of IDC certification, what is the most important consideration when implementing trauma-informed practice? → Ensuring alignment with established standards, stakeholder needs, and best practices
9. What ethical principle guides intimacy coordination? → Respect and consent
10. When an actor expresses discomfort with a specific movement but is willing to attempt an alternative, an intimacy coordinator should: → Collaboratively explore the alternative while documenting the adjustment
11. In the context of IDC certification, what is the most important consideration when implementing boundary setting & advocacy? → Ensuring alignment with established standards, stakeholder needs, and best practices
12. A participant in your workshop discloses mid-exercise that a movement triggered a trauma response. What is the IDC-aligned immediate response? → Pause the exercise, offer grounding options, and check in privately afterward
13. When an intimacy coordinator disagrees with a director's creative choice that does not compromise safety, what is the appropriate response? → Express their perspective professionally, then defer to the director's creative authority
14. Why is choreography essential in intimate scenes? → Defines safe and clear movements
15. Why is clear communication essential in intimacy direction? → Ensures understanding of boundaries
16. Secondary traumatic stress (STS) in intimacy coordinators most commonly arises from: → Repeated exposure to performers' trauma disclosures and distressing content
17. Which of the following best describes a key competency required for choreography for stage & screen in IDC practice? → Strong analytical skills combined with effective communication and ethical judgment
18. Which of the following best describes 'boundary creep' in the context of intimacy coordination? → Gradual escalation of physical or emotional demands beyond agreed-upon limits over time
19. Which professional organization created the first widely adopted Code of Ethics specifically for intimacy coordinators in the US? → IDC (Intimacy Directors and Coordinators)
20. A production company asks the IC to sign an NDA that would prevent disclosing boundary violations to union safety representatives. The IC should: → Refuse, because NDAs cannot ethically restrict reporting of safety violations
21. When an on-set production assistant not cleared for the closed set accidentally enters during filming of an intimate scene, the intimacy coordinator should: → Immediately pause the scene and address the breach calmly with the AD
22. Which rehearsal technique allows performers to practice an intimate scene at reduced emotional and physical intensity before full execution? → Modular or 'off-the-top' run-through
23. What is the purpose of a 'check-out' conversation at the end of an intimacy scene? → To give actors space to decompress, ask questions, and flag any concerns that arose
24. What constitutes informed consent? → Voluntary and informed agreement
25. Under IDC guidelines, who bears ultimate responsibility for creating a safe set environment during intimacy scenes? → Shared responsibility across the IC, director, producer, and performers
26. A production asks an intimacy coordinator to skip the pre-scene consent check because the actors 'already agreed in callbacks.' The coordinator should: → Insist on in-the-moment consent confirmation before each rehearsal and shoot
27. Which communication channel is considered LEAST appropriate for transmitting sensitive performer boundary documentation? → Unencrypted group text or chat including multiple crew members
28. What role does emergency preparedness play? → Ensures quick response
29. In the context of trauma-informed practice, a 'resource' refers to: → Any internal or external anchor that helps a performer feel grounded and safe
30. A minor is cast in a film that contains a scene depicting implied romantic content between teen characters. The intimacy coordinator's first step should be to: → Confirm applicable child labor laws and ensure a guardian and studio teacher are present