Specialist responsible for creating and maintaining hairstyles, wigs, and hairpieces on set throughout production.
Professional film hair stylists use specialized tools such as Babyliss curling irons with precise temperature control (80-210°C), Dyson Supersonic hairdryers with 1600 watts of power and ionic technology, and clip-in extensions made of real hair (Remy quality). Wigs are crafted on a lace front base, featuring individually knotted hairlines with 150-200 hairs per square centimeter. Hairpieces are attached using medical adhesive (Pros-Aide) or double-sided tape (3M-1522), which can withstand tensile forces up to 15 Newtons.
In 1915, Max Factor first introduced hair products specifically developed for film that wouldn't run under hot studio lights. In 1930, the permanent wave revolutionized the film business, as more complex hairstyles could last over several shooting days. In 1960, synthetic wigs made from Kanekalon fibers became established, and in 1980, heat-friendly fibers were introduced, capable of withstanding styling temperatures up to 180°C. Since 2010, 3D-printed hairpieces and digital color matching have enabled millimeter-accurate reconstructions of historical hairstyles.
For "Marie Antoinette" (2006), hairstylist Didier Lavergne created 150 hand-knotted wigs from Mongolian horsehair. On "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015), Lesley Vanderwalt developed washable hairstyles for 120 shooting days in the desert. The workflow includes script breakdown (identifying hair continuity), camera tests at different color temperatures (3200K/5600K), and touch-ups every 45-60 minutes during filming.
The hair stylist differs from the make-up artist through specialization in hair design, while prosthetic artists are responsible for hair applications in special effects. Hair designers conceptualize looks during pre-production, while the set hair stylist handles daily execution. In low-budget productions, the make-up artist often handles both areas, while in large productions, up to eight hair stylists may work concurrently on a set.
Ich muss vorab klären, welche Haarfarben und -texturen unter meiner geplanten Beleuchtung funktionieren, da blonde Haare bei 5600K Tageslicht anders reflektieren als unter 3200K Kunstlicht. Bei Nahaufnahmen checke ich die Haarkanten im Monitor, weil unsaubere Extensions oder Perücken-Ränder sofort sichtbar werden.
Ich nutze Frisuren als Erzählmittel - eine sich lockernde Hochsteckfrisur kann emotionale Auflösung visualisieren, während eine akkurate 50er-Jahre-Tolle Charakterdisziplin unterstreicht. Der Friseur hilft mir, den Aging-Prozess einer Figur über verschiedene Zeitebenen glaubwürdig darzustellen.
Ein erfahrener Friseur kostet 450-800 Euro pro Drehtag, Perücken schlagen mit 1.200-15.000 Euro zu Buche, müssen aber bei Reshoots verfügbar sein. Ich kalkuliere 15% Zeitpuffer für Frisur-Touch-ups ein und sorge für klimatisierte Transportbehälter, damit teure Haarteile nicht durch Hitze oder Feuchtigkeit beschädigt werden.
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Friseur"?
2. 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.