The reality of filming 50 Shades of Grey sex scenes has been exposed. And it's super awkward.

As it turns out filming sex scenes is not, well, all that sexy.

Speaking to The Times, Sam Taylor-Johnson, the director, artist and filmmaker behind the first 50 Shades of Grey film admitted it was often tricky to navigate the sex scenes on set and guide them in the right direction.

Taylor-Johnson said the film’s most famous sex scene — the one in which Christian Grey repeatedly spanks Anastasia Steele with a belt buckle — was supposed to “empower Anastasia” and allow her to “hold a mirror to [Christian’s] darkness and come out with the power”.

However, she admits that probably didn't come across on screen.

“It was a struggle and there were lots of onset tête-à-têtes, with me trying to bat it into the [right] place.”

The director also told The Times she was not trying to normalise abusive relationships by making the movie.

“That’s like saying I am responsible for people going into the world of S & M,” she said.

Meanwhile, the stars of the 50 Shades franchise had their own tricks for dealing with the awkward reality of filming sex scenes.

Earlier this year, 27-year-old Dakota Johnson told E!News she would take a shot of whisky before filming any of the sex scenes.

“Sometimes you gotta take a shot," said Johnson.

The How To Be Single star also revealed it was always a closed set when they filmed the sex scenes and they tried to make it a "safe" and "respectful" environment for the actors.

While Jamie Dornan, the actor who played Christian Grey, would get through the sex scenes by making people laugh.

“There is more sex in the new film and all of us know how awkward sex scenes can be so to make everyone laugh I would make silly noises when I had to climax.”

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Taylor-Johnson didn't return to work on the film's sequels because she had a falling out with the book's author, EL James.

“I like everyone — and I get really confused when they don’t like me. I was so confused by EL James,” Taylor-Johnson said. “I don’t understand when I can’t navigate a person, when there’s no synergy.”