Wigged

Being in their final semester of the Bachelor of Communications at AUT, Kimberley Landkroon (writer and director) and Ben Ward (producer) are working on a documentary that captures the process of wig making and the difficulties and ethical issues around it. This film is inspired by people in the industry who are passionate about bringing down the high costs of virgin human hair for people with hair loss conditions such as alopecia and cancer patients.

About the film:

Hair is a big part of how we see ourselves. It is beauty, individuality, and a part of our identity. However we shouldn't take hair for granted or even waste it as there is a high demand for it.

Women around the world are exploited for their hair and most American hair extension companies source their hair from Indian Temples after a ritual head shaving called Tonsure. Women can also be vulnerable to attacks where a thief holds them at gun or knife point, cuts off their hair, and sells it to manufacturers for quick money. The women who purchase these hair extensions are made to think they are wearing ethically sourced human hair from willing donors or sellers.

Sustainable Salons endeavour to bring awareness and change to this issue by collecting ponytails from salons registered with the organisation. One such salon is Common Thread in Pukekohe. Owner and director Tracy Roberts is passionate about ethical salon practices and shaving her hair for a cause. Salons such as hers are where people go to cut off their locks which they then send to Sustainable Salons via post.

Sustainable Salons sorts the donated ponytails and supplies them to a number of manufacturers including Dunedin's Freedom Hair. This is the largest wig making manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere and in the film you'll get to see just how they create high quality and realistic wigs from the hair that is donated by many kind hearted people around New Zealand and abroad.

Our goal: 

Our goal is to help raise awareness of the ethical issues around hair trade, what is involved in the wig making process, why the costs of wigs are so high, and what we can do to lower them for the people with hair loss conditions who would like to buy a wig.

Once we have made the film we would like to take it further to film festivals, screenings, and events to continue spreading awareness in New Zealand.

Why we need your help:

Our biggest hurdle is the fact that film productions cost money. For us to be able to make this film we need funding. Donations will help with essentials needed for the production such as:

• Travel costs – flights to Dunedin as well as covering fuel costs and other travel
• Catering – lunches and refreshments for shoot days
• A nights accomodation in Dunedin

Your donation will help us tell this story. Any donation big or small will be very much appreciated!

Any leftover money will go into film festival submissions to spread the documentary into the world.

Our Team:

• Director and Writer: Kimberley Landkroon
• Producer: Ben Ward
• Executive Producer: Elizabeth Hoyle
• Director of Photography: Diya Beharie
• Sound: Neeve Aryan

Special Thanks to:

• Tracy Roberts from Common Thread
• Paul Frasca from Sustainable Salons
• Freedom Hair

Thank you,

Ben and Kimberley