Qui-Gon Jinn's hair

[Ani-Chay Pinn]

So, how did they do Qui-Gon Jinn's hair? In the documentary stuff for TPM you see him at least once, in costume, except the hair. I guess they put that on last. It makes me think that it doesn't take too much time to put the wig on. But how do they do the part at the forehead and make it look convincing? I don't think you see any of Liam Neeson's own hair in TPM; it's too short.

I was watching Sat Nite Live tonight and it was the re-run that Liam Neeson hosted last year. The last skit he was in, he was a middle-aged hippy trying to borrow a police dog to find his lost pot. And he had long, freaky hair with a ponytail. Now I KNOW it couldn't have taken long to put it on him since the show was live. And this wig was also pulled back from his head, like Qui-Gon's. If Qui-Gon's hair were messy and graying and stoned, it would look like this hair.

So, how is the wig attached so that there is no obvious gap between it and the head? Tape? Glue? Combs just wouldn't hold it in place that close to the natural hairline. And Neeson closed the show, with his regular hair, just a few commercials after the skit. So, whatever they use, it comes off quickly, too.

[Jedimom/Cor-Al Gelkar]

If youve ever seen Weird Al Yankovic live you'd wonder the same thing with his gorgeous hair! He goes through so many costume changes dring his concerts its incredible! Yet his hair is always free and flowing the nxt set despite the wigs.

They use this stuff called "Gaf Quat" which is the main ingrediant in hair spray. It molds the hair flat for wigs but washes out very easily.

And on SNL, there's more time between sets than what they show you on TV.

[Solinbeb Newau]

I'm sure the make-up artists they have are fairly well practiced. The few times I've worn a wig the eleastic netting inside of it held it on fairly well, though.

[Nova Darklighter]

It most likely was just a costume wig w/ an elastic one size cap, and a wig stocking & bobby pins, the SNL stlyists come into the store and buy a lot of that sort of thing. You'd be amazed at how fast an experienced hair person on a tv, film or B'way show can get you in & out of what you have to wear, after years of watching from places backstage, I'm still amazed. For the leads in films and on B'way, the wigs are custom made, and the wig people get them on & off, then clean & style them for the next wearing.

[Leda EmBorr]

It could have been a hair attatchment... I think Obi's for AotC was a weave just to the bottom to make it longer... the top was his own hair.

"Gaf Quat"? I'll have to try that for when I do the Aurra Sing bald cap again... so far I've been using stiff hair spray... It takes longer to take off the costume that it does to put it on!

[Mon-Jas Charan]

I read somewhere that they used glue in hair extensions for the original shoot ... They had a problem when they were in Tunisia, the glue turn White in the heat and they had to use brown powder to blend it out before each shot ... When they did the pick ups almost a year later, one seen was the wall seen when Qui-Gon took the sample of blood, it was a wig ... I had the glue in extensions at CII, my Mother-in-law did them or it would have cost me about $700. they lasted about 3 months before the fell out.

[Jauhzmynn Enz]

I was curious of hair extensions myself. But Iwonder how they'd be cared for. Could I actually wash my hair as usual?

[Mon-Jas Charan]

Yes ... you wash a usual, but you have to be careful with the blow dryer. I just let it air dry, being in Colorado thats not much of a problem, humidity here is usually in the teens.

[kivaanzion]

Depending on the quality of the hair used and length, they can be a lot of work to maintain. A very high quality daily conditioner is necessary with a weekly intensive repair conditioner (the hair is dead after all).

Regular brushing starting at the tips and moving back to the roots helps prevent knotting.

One thing, hair extensions can be murder on your own hair. It also makes a difference whether you get a basic weave, or a more complex job that involves sewing the hairs directly to your own hair in little knots the size of a pencil eraser head. The latter takes longer to finish (several hours depending on how many rows of extensions you get put in) and is much more expensive. The advantage is much more realistic looking hair that flows easily and does not look stiff or brittle.

No; I'm not a hairdresser.

Yes; I used to have extensions- back in the mid 90's.

[Ani-Chay Pinn]

Hair extensions for Qui-Gon in Tunisia? Um, I have my doubts. In the documentary about making TPM, one of the things that blew away in the big storm that destroyed their sets on the second day was "Liam's wig". Or at least the producer kept asking if they'd found it. I assume they did, since they were able to leave Tunisia on schedule. Most ofl the outtakes I've seen of Liam Neeson dressed as Qui-Gon have him without the long hair and his own hair is sticking out in all directions. Wig hair, I guess.

monjas said:

I read somewhere that they used glue in hair extensions for the original shoot ... They had a problem when they were in Tunisia, the glue turn White in the heat and they had to use brown powder to blend it out before each shot ... When they did the pick ups almost a year later, one seen was the wall seen when Qui-Gon took the sample of blood, it was a wig ... I had the glue in extensions at CII, my Mother-in-law did them or it would have cost me about $700. they lasted about 3 months before the fell out.

So, to do a wig, with a convincing hairline on the forehead, you need:

Gaf Quat to flatten your hair
An elastic one size cap
A wig stocking & bobby pins
The wig, presumably a nice one


Why a cap And a wig stocking? What's a wig stocking? What kind of cap?

I don't have any specific costume wig plans in mine right now, but it seems like useful costume info to have.

[Leda EmBorr]

Hmmm... I heard it was his moustache that blew away.....

[kivaanzion]

It was his beard that blew away.

[Leda EmBorr]

LOL!!!!

[Nova Darklighter]

The wig stocking goes on under a wig, the wig cap is part of the wig, better wigs are custom made do not strech, they are made for the wearer from very exact measurements, most wigs that are mass market or costume types have a strech cap that makes it fit most people, they also usually have an elastic pull to make it smaller.
1st you put your long hain in an elastic then put on the stocking cap and tuck in the ends, then put on wig, then bobby or hair pin in place. The hairline will look ok if styled right or sometimes wigs have a pc in front that looks like a scalp with the hair growing out of it. Those are usually more expensive and not usually costume types, but are the type you call fashion wigs.

[Ani-Chay Pinn]

If his beard blew away in Tunisia they would never have found it! Besides, in the rehearsal shots where they're working out their lightsaber moves in regular clothes Neeson has a beard. I just assumed that's his real beard. Ewan certainly uses his own beard in Ep II and III.

So, to do a wig:
-- tie the hair up
-- put wig stocking on, tuck in all hair
-- put on wig and pin in place
-- costume wigs stretch and tighten, custon wigs don't

I think it's safe to say that a wig for a major movie would be custom made for the actor. Wigs can have a scalp piece? Wouldn't that cause more problems becuase you'd have to glue it in place and match that to the skin on the forehead?