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Hair Designer

Designs hair/wigs; may split from make-up on larger UK shows.

Duties

• Read the call sheet and sides before arriving
• Maintain radio/set etiquette and H&S
• Hand over notes/kit status at wrap
• Design hair and wig looks
• Supervise hairdressers
• Wig maintenance plan
• Continuity of hair

Reports to

Director / Producer (may share with Make-up Designer)

Works with

Hairdressers, Wig teams, Costume, DoP

Career path

Hairdresser → Hair Designer / HMU Designer

Day to day

Design hair/wigs; supervise dressers; schedule wig prep; approve on-camera hair with DoP.

Call times

HMU call is driven by cast ready-times — often well before unit. Prosthetic/ageing and crowd days need long early prep.

What to wear

Blacks; clean hygienic kit clothes; hair tied back; soft shoes; PPE/gloves for prosthetics as needed.

Tools & kit

Personal kit (common), brushes, hygiene consumables, continuity camera/phone.

Tips

Confirm title, agreement, budget band, prep/wrap and kit fee on the deal memo before accepting. We never invent Bectu figures — check bectu.org.uk ratecards / your branch.

Software

• Face/hair charts
• Continuity photos
• Face chart apps / Procreate
• Photoshop / PureRef boards
• Labelled continuity photo folders
• ChatGPT for period/reference research (Designer verifies)

Related roles

HMU Designer, Hairdresser

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