Shot by Kynder Capture the Seoul
Zuri Pryor-Graves MSW, MEd (she/her) is an Atlanta Based SAG-AFTRA Certified Intimacy Coordinator, Sexuality Clinician/Sex Therapist, an On-Set Therapist, Sexual Educator and a Sexual Cultural Competency Consultant. As an Intimacy Coordinator, she has the opportunity to bring her mastery of sexuality therapy/education, mental health and TV/film production to life. Her work is on HBO, BET, Starz, Netflix, Lifetime, MTV, UrbanFlix, FX, Disney, AMC/AMC+, ALLBLK, AppleTV, FubuTV and more.
She is actively involved in sexuality advocacy, authenticity, and consent work in TV & Film. Markedly, she is well versed in on-screen movement & choreography, anti-harassment, proper use of modesty garments, design of genital prosthetics. In addition, she is educated in mediation & conflict resolution, bystander intervention, trauma work, LGBTQ support, kink/BDSM, alternative relationship structures. Lastly, she holds certifications in competency around gender, sexuality, race, as well as disability, and is certified in Mental Health First Aid.
Additionally, to Intimacy Coordinating, as a therapist she specializes individual, couple, and family therapy. Zuri leads groups and workshops pertaining to LGBTQ topics, consent culture, kink, sexuality education and sex positivity. From being a therapist, she can bring any of these skills to television and film sets as a consultant or cast & crew support.
Before she was an IC, Zuri:
Prior to her venture into the mental health profession, she worked in television and film production with BET, Discovery Networks, and CBS. With over 300 on-set days in addition to corporate television experience, she is well-versed on the needs of production.
Concurrently, she is an experienced SAG-AFTRA stunt performer and actor. Before then, she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc, a Howard University graduate and a two-time master’s graduate of Widener University. Outside of her professional and educational background, she is a world traveled roller derby athlete and coach, a weekend disc jockey, and a dog obsessed self-proclaimed foodie.
A Few of Zuri’s Recent Atlanta Appearances
Women in Production Summit Panelist 2022
It’s Our Time Couple’s Brunch and Fashion Experience Speaker – 2023
Bronze Lens Festival Speaker – 2022
Intimacy Coordinator Zuri In the Press
A Letter from Intimacy Coordinator Zuri:
Love Making Scenarios. Sex Scenes. Make Out Shots: These are consistent elements in the television and film industry standard.
Enthusiastic Consent. Negotiated Nudity. Prioritized Safety. General Mental Health: Thanks to Intimacy Coordination, a cultural shift in the industry has introduced these terms as the new standard and foundation of negotiation in television and film.
My unique professionally rounded background and my general passions for mental health, sex positivity, clear communication/direction shape me. All of that and my education makes me believe I am ideal for the field of Intimacy Coordination.
My work with BET, CBS, and Discovery Networks, provided me with a vast skill base of set language, etiquette, and general production knowledge. Afterwards, I returned to school to pursue a MEd and MSW in Sexuality. These professional degrees allowed me to become a certified sexuality therapist as well as a master level sexuality educator.
Since, I have been seeking an opportunity to combine my television and film, education/teaching, and sexuality clinical training into the career path of my dreams.
I searched until I found Intimacy Coordination, the perfect fit.
My recent move to the Atlanta area, has provided me with a new angle into the production world. This time around, in front of the camera. Empathetically, in that position, I felt the nuances and intricacies of onscreen vulnerabilities. Directors illuminate reality and actors are charged with the responsibility to lend their talents to create/take part in that reality.
There is not always a liaison to communicate and advocate on the behalf of the actor’s needs and limitations. Consequently, I recently discovered the alarming statistic that the average lifespan of a First AD is 56 years of age. Whether it be intimacy coordination or therapy in the demanding life of production, there is need for this work. I am grateful that one of those people is me.
Altogether, I believe mental health, sex positivity, & enthusiastic consent culture should be the foundation of all safe spaces in and out of the industry. The creation of Intimacy Coordination and Direction is such a powerful necessity. I am grateful to be a part of a production community who sees the value in this field.