Jessi Dean, a highly accomplished professional in film and TV hair design, served as the hair department head for the Nat Geo series Genius: MLK/X. Her extensive experience and expertise were important in authentically portraying the iconic figures of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Dean's role involved meticulous attention to detail and historical accuracy, ensuring that the hairstyles reflected the era's sociological and political context, but she also cared deeply about accurately reflecting period Black hairstyles while also protecting the hair of the cast.We emailed with Dean about her process. Enjoy! Genius: MLK/X | Official Trailer | National Geographic www.youtube.com No Film School: What was your research process for Genius: MLK/X?Jessi Dean: I spent two months on this research. I was searching for an understanding of how their personal experiences, relationships, and environments may have influenced their choices of hairstyles. I used reference materials such as historical photographs, paintings, films, and literature to gain more insight into each character’s personality and lifestyle. I also considered the hair and fashion trends of each era we were capturing. I wanted regular people of the day—outside of the movement. I had hoped to find pictures of how men and women set their hair and the products they used from my own family’s pictures. How they protected their hair vs. how we do now. For example, they used brown paper bags to protect the ends of the hair to avoid going frizzy.But those pictures didn’t exist with my family.So I asked my...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Monday, 17 June, 2024