Bess is a London-based professional director, movement director, choreographer, intimacy coordinator, and dancer, as well as the co-founder of the film production company Ragged Pictures. Her versatile career spans feature films, commercial projects and live theatre. With a sharp eye for detail and a collaborative spirit, Bess specialises in choreographing and directing creative movement and physical storytelling, tailoring each piece to align with the unique vision and needs of her clients.
Bess's credits include the multi award-winning dance film Align (2020), and movement direction and choreography for renowned musical artist Ghazal Sadat. As a dancer, she has performed for an array of prestigious brands, including Sony Network Productions, BBC, Channel 5 UK, NFL, and Comedy Central.
In 2023, Bess wrote, directed, produced, and choreographed the experimental short thriller Runt—a bold exploration of social anxiety and paranoia through contemporary dance. The film has garnered over twelve international awards to date, including Best First-Time Director at the Los Angeles Film Awards and Best Experimental at the Experimental Dance and Music Film Festival.
Her earlier work Align, which she choreographed, received critical acclaim in 2020, winning over twenty international awards such as Best Dance Choreography at the Oniros Film Awards (Italy) and Best Choreography at the Vegas Movie Awards (USA). The film was also officially selected at numerous prestigious festivals, including Choreoscope (Barcelona), the 28th Annual Quinzena de Dança de Almada (Portugal), InShadow Screendance Festival (Portugal), the Choreographic Festival of Blois (France), Moving Body Festival (Bulgaria), and Divulge Dancers’ Film Festival (Hollywood, USA).
Bess is in high demand as a choreographer, movement director, and intimacy coordinator, with recent credits spanning feature films, short films, commercials, music videos, and documentaries. Her movement direction extends beyond dance, drawing on her deep understanding of physical storytelling to support both actors and crowd cast in creating layered, authentic performances.
As an intimacy coordinator, Bess takes a collaborative, consent-led approach that places performer safety and creative expression at the heart of the process. She works closely with directors and cast-members to shape emotionally truthful, physically expressive scenes—whether tender or provocative—using techniques such as breath work, movement sequencing, eye contact, and guided consent practises. Her work has featured in several internationally recognised productions, building on a wider practise rooted in choreography, film making and embodied storytelling.
"Bess, as the movement director for The Pull, showed exceptional communication and adaptability. She quickly coached actors with no tug-of-war experience into performing very professional-looking movements. The speed and precision of her adjustments were truly impressive."
- Ruyou Lin, Patchwork Films
"Bess was an outstanding Intimacy Coordinator on our Spectrum shoot on 1st March. From the outset, her communication was clear, thoughtful, and highly professional — not only with myself as director but also with our actors, David and Amber. She ensured everyone felt comfortable, informed, and supported throughout the process, creating a safe and respectful environment on set. Bess approached the work with sensitivity, clarity, and confidence, helping the actors navigate emotionally and physically vulnerable scenes with care while maintaining the integrity of the performances. Her calm presence and professionalism were invaluable, and I would highly recommend her to any production looking for a skilled and dedicated intimacy coordinator."
- Jonell Rowe, Director & Producer - Lionstooth Films LTD
"Bess was the choreographer for my 2020 multi award winning film ‘Align’ and she did an exceptional job. Not only did she create brilliant choreography which was integral to the film’s success, but she was highly professional during all phases all the project, reliable to a tee and all round great to work with. I’d work with her again and again."
- Rachel Wolfe, Ragged Pictures
"I worked with Bess on a short film which I directed. Bess’s role covered both Intimacy Coordinator and Movement Director, meaning she considered the safety of the actors as well as creative questions concerning story and performance. From our first meeting, Bess was enthusiastic, accommodating, and highly professional. As Intimacy Coordinator, she was methodical, careful and considerate, immediately putting all cast and crew at ease. As Movement Director, she came equipped with a wealth of expertise in physical performance which unlocked a great depth of nuanced expression for the actors. Beyond that, Bess was personally a pleasure to work with - always a positive, smiling, and calming presence!"
- Thomas Sheriff
"Working with Bess means entering a safe space where everyone has a voice, and where consent and collaboration go hand in hand. As actors working with sensitive material, we were guided towards feeling supported, with everyone’s boundaries and preferences established, but also with enough room for creativity to flow. An absolute pleasure, thanks Bess!"
- Fiona Sinnott
"Bess Noakes Kettel is an exceptional intimacy coordinator to work with on set. She brought a calm, professional presence that made the cast and crew feel safe, supported, and completely at ease throughout the process. Her communication was clear, thoughtful, and precise, and she handled sensitive material with utmost care. She understood both the emotional needs of the performers and the practical demands of a film set, striking that balance brilliantly. Bess is highly skilled and a genuine asset to any production."
- Brendan Void
"Bess came on board our short film as our Intimacy Coordinator and instantly became part of the team. It was our first time working with an IC, and she was so gracious to walk through the process with us and how the relationship worked on set. The actors felt very at ease having her present and her background as a movement director also came in very handy on the day. A professional through and through."
- Dann Emmons
"Bess was an absolute gem to work with. She was very in tune with our needs as actors and checked in with us every step of the way during rehearsals and filming. She has a warm, welcoming energy and helped us feel at ease in the scenes so we could do our best work."
- Amber Townsend
"I worked with Bess on the feature film "Grey Compound" in 2025. The project involved extensive nudity and intimate scenes, frequently involving non-actors so we required an IC with a higher-than-average degree of professionalism and empathy. Bess exceeded our expectations. She was incredibly attentive to the performers' needs while being cognizant and understanding to the needs of the crew and the director. Going above and beyond, her presence became a great source of comfort on difficult days, often listening to our various problems and offering support to me and many others. In conclusion, we couldn't have made the film without Bess, proving herself to be an integral, well-respected and well- loved member of the crew."
- Top Tarasin
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