Creates hairstyles and hairpieces for film characters using human hair wigs (120–160 hairs/cm²), extensions, and specialized aging techniques.
Professional Hair Designers use real hair pieces with a density of 120-160 hairs per square centimeter for a natural effect. Wigs are made from hand-tied monofilament nets with a thread thickness of 0.08mm and weigh between 65-120 grams. Hair extensions are attached with keratin bonds at 160°C and last for 8-12 shooting days under studio conditions. Special products like spirit gum for beards achieve an adhesive strength of 2.1 N/cm² at 35°C body temperature.
Basic types include Contemporary Hair (modern hairstyles), Period Hair (historical reconstructions), and Fantasy Hair (unrealistic designs). Aging techniques use gray shades in 12-step gradients from 10% to 85% gray content.
The first film Hair Designer, Max Factor Sr., established standardized wig systems at Paramount Studios in 1914. In 1935, Factor introduced the "Color Harmony" principle, which mathematically calculated hair colors to skin tone and costume colors. In 1962, Sydney Guilaroff revolutionized the portrayal of historical hairstyles with "Lawrence of Arabia" through archaeologically documented reconstructions.
The introduction of synthetic Kanekalon fibers in 1972 reduced wig weight by 40% compared to real hair. Modern motion capture productions since 2009 require special magnet-free materials, as conventional hairpins can distort tracking by up to 15mm.
"Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015) used 150 individually aged wigs with incorporated desert sand for authentic textures. The transformation of Gary Oldman in "Darkest Hour" (2017) required 200 individually glued beard hairs daily for Churchill's characteristic facial hair.
The Hair Designer creates continuity charts with photographic documentation of all 15° head turns for exact reproduction between shooting days. For action scenes, up to four identical wig doubles per actor are kept on hand, as stunt sequences have a damage rate of 60%.
Hair Design differs from makeup through permanent alteration of the silhouette versus temporary surface styling. CGI Hair Replacement costs 800-1,200 Euros per second of footage, while practical solutions range from 50-150 Euros daily. Modern de-aging techniques combine physical wigs with digital post-production in a 70:30 ratio for optimal cost-efficiency.
Ich muss bei Perücken den Haaransatz in 4K-Auflösung prüfen – schon 2mm sichtbare Klebenaht ruiniert die Einstellung. Glanzreflektionen auf synthetischen Fasern entstehen ab 2.800K Farbtemperatur, deshalb verwende ich bei Kunsthaar-Perücken grundsätzlich wärmere 3.200K Beleuchtung. Close-ups erfordern spezielle Diffusion, da Echthaar 12% Lichtabsorption zeigt, Kunsthaar nur 4%.
Ich nutze Frisurwandel als visuellen Zeitmarker – in "Boyhood"-Manier zeigen 2cm Haarwuchs sechs Monate Handlungszeit an. Die Asymmetrie von Jokers grünen Strähnen in "The Dark Knight" verstärkt seine psychische Instabilität visuell um 30% mehr als symmetrische Gestaltung. Bei Charakterbögen verändere ich bewusst Haarlänge und -textur: von strukturiert zu ungepflegt signalisiert moralischen Verfall ohne Dialog.
Ich kalkuliere für Hair Department 4-6% des Gesamtbudgets bei Period Pieces, 1,5-2% bei Contemporary Productions. Perücken-Doubles verdoppeln die Kosten, verkürzen aber Schminkzeiten von 90 auf 15 Minuten täglich – bei 60 Drehtagen spare ich netto 15.000 Euro Personalkosten. Echthaar-Perücken kosten 1.200-3.500 Euro, halten aber 3-4 Produktionen versus Kunsthaar mit einmaliger Verwendung.
1. Was beschreibt „Frisur" am besten?
2. Zu welchem Department gehört „Frisur"?
3. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.