By Jordon Briggs - USA
This film is an SF3 2022 Feature Film Finalist.
Shot on Samsung Galaxy s7
Edited on iMovie
Her Hair explores how black women and black women hairstylists achieve autonomy, an identity, and financial independence through their skills, and how hairstylists and their clients together, create a communal culture around hair care, that helps one another preserve their humanity.
Shot on Samsung Galaxy s7.
Her Hair explores how black women and black women hairstylists achieve autonomy, an identity, and financial independence through their skills, and how hairstylists and their clients together, create a communal culture around hair care, that helps one another preserve their humanity.
Director's Statement
My documentary comes from an appreciation for the work and the impact of my mother as a hairstylist and fellow hairstylists I’ve witnessed throughout my life.
Since I was a child up until making this film, I would always sit in and spin around in my mom’s chair—my favorite chair in the shop. I’d wander between my mom’s booth and my godmother’s space to other stylists’ chairs, asking about the techniques they used or marvel at their creativity when they did hair. I used to sit under the dryer seat, and when my mom let me, I would turn on the hot air and relax as if I were a client. At the salon, it felt like you could disappear into the experiences of the place and become a part of that world. The positivity of communal care among the ladies brought me warmth, and being around so much care helped enhance my supportive nature. The salon, by the time I made this documentary, was a place I cherished.
Along with this, what I’ve always remembered was the ways in which my mom as well as her fellow hairstylists helped clients beyond just making them look beautiful: the women were able to be their complete selves. The hairstylist’s booth was where they could be vulnerable. They came to talk about what challenged them in their lives. I even witnessed women having breakthroughs
while their hair was being flat ironed, or colored, or having the final spray put on for shine and hair care needs. When these women would laugh hard and loud, it seemed like they were being freed. Seeing these things gave me a long held appreciation for hairstylists, but I also grew to understand how vital it is for women to feel like they could just be themselves uninhibited. My desire to bring the audience into these experiences and to submit the truth of the importance of hairstylists—specifically of black women hairstylists—made me want to make this film.
The film is meant to be able to bring the stories of the women I’ve spent time around into a world where their stories barely had been explored. I felt the best way to do that was to make the audience a part of the salon the way I and countless people have been. My hope is that the audience’s chair will become like the dryer chair I would sit in, and they’ll be able to take in the refreshing sounds of the water being splashed as these black women let any challenges in life slip away, sit with the stories that populate the space, and hopefully gain understanding of the importance of the ways in which my mom and her fellow stylists have created a place for them and other women to dream, to have jobs, and to be themselves.
Director's Bio
Jordon is a writer, filmmaker, musician and radio show host. He has been published in the genres of short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and criticism.
Her Hair is his third film and first documentary film. Her Hair was shot on the Samsung Galaxy s7 smartphone and edited in iMovie. Jordon currently lives in Oakland, CA in the United States.
Jordon can be found by visiting his website, JordonBriggs.com , by email: jordonbriggs1@gmail.com , on Facebook: Jordon Briggs and on Instagram: @_jordon_briggs_
He thanks you for taking the time to watch the movie.
Her Hair was filmed at Tracie’s Hair Design Studio in Elk Grove, CA, USA
Additional music for Her Hair was provided by Armani Jackson, a recording artist, podcaster, and musician. Armani currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, United States.
Sound Mixing for Her Hair was provided by Mishianna Summerville. Mishianna currently resides in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
Sound Engineering was handled by Stephen Logan, a professional sound engineer, sound mixer, and musician. Stephen is a frequent collaborator of Jordon’s, working with him on a variety of projects. Stephen engineered the sound for Jordon’s previous short film, “Departure,” frequently mixes Jordon’s radio show, and has mixed and mastered Jordon’s music related projects.
Stephen and Jordon have been friends for 20 years since they first met during their freshman year of high school. Stephen currently resides in Sacramento, CA, USA.
By Jordon Briggs - USA
This film is an SF3 2022 Feature Film Finalist.
Shot on Samsung Galaxy s7
Edited on iMovie
Her Hair explores how black women and black women hairstylists achieve autonomy, an identity, and financial independence through their skills, and how hairstylists and their clients together, create a communal culture around hair care, that helps one another preserve their humanity.
Shot on Samsung Galaxy s7.
Her Hair explores how black women and black women hairstylists achieve autonomy, an identity, and financial independence through their skills, and how hairstylists and their clients together, create a communal culture around hair care, that helps one another preserve their humanity.
Director's Statement
My documentary comes from an appreciation for the work and the impact of my mother as a hairstylist and fellow hairstylists I’ve witnessed throughout my life.
Since I was a child up until making this film, I would always sit in and spin around in my mom’s chair—my favorite chair in the shop. I’d wander between my mom’s booth and my godmother’s space to other stylists’ chairs, asking about the techniques they used or marvel at their creativity when they did hair. I used to sit under the dryer seat, and when my mom let me, I would turn on the hot air and relax as if I were a client. At the salon, it felt like you could disappear into the experiences of the place and become a part of that world. The positivity of communal care among the ladies brought me warmth, and being around so much care helped enhance my supportive nature. The salon, by the time I made this documentary, was a place I cherished.
Along with this, what I’ve always remembered was the ways in which my mom as well as her fellow hairstylists helped clients beyond just making them look beautiful: the women were able to be their complete selves. The hairstylist’s booth was where they could be vulnerable. They came to talk about what challenged them in their lives. I even witnessed women having breakthroughs
while their hair was being flat ironed, or colored, or having the final spray put on for shine and hair care needs. When these women would laugh hard and loud, it seemed like they were being freed. Seeing these things gave me a long held appreciation for hairstylists, but I also grew to understand how vital it is for women to feel like they could just be themselves uninhibited. My desire to bring the audience into these experiences and to submit the truth of the importance of hairstylists—specifically of black women hairstylists—made me want to make this film.
The film is meant to be able to bring the stories of the women I’ve spent time around into a world where their stories barely had been explored. I felt the best way to do that was to make the audience a part of the salon the way I and countless people have been. My hope is that the audience’s chair will become like the dryer chair I would sit in, and they’ll be able to take in the refreshing sounds of the water being splashed as these black women let any challenges in life slip away, sit with the stories that populate the space, and hopefully gain understanding of the importance of the ways in which my mom and her fellow stylists have created a place for them and other women to dream, to have jobs, and to be themselves.
Director's Bio
Jordon is a writer, filmmaker, musician and radio show host. He has been published in the genres of short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and criticism.
Her Hair is his third film and first documentary film. Her Hair was shot on the Samsung Galaxy s7 smartphone and edited in iMovie. Jordon currently lives in Oakland, CA in the United States.
Jordon can be found by visiting his website, JordonBriggs.com , by email: jordonbriggs1@gmail.com , on Facebook: Jordon Briggs and on Instagram: @_jordon_briggs_
He thanks you for taking the time to watch the movie.
Her Hair was filmed at Tracie’s Hair Design Studio in Elk Grove, CA, USA
Additional music for Her Hair was provided by Armani Jackson, a recording artist, podcaster, and musician. Armani currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, United States.
Sound Mixing for Her Hair was provided by Mishianna Summerville. Mishianna currently resides in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
Sound Engineering was handled by Stephen Logan, a professional sound engineer, sound mixer, and musician. Stephen is a frequent collaborator of Jordon’s, working with him on a variety of projects. Stephen engineered the sound for Jordon’s previous short film, “Departure,” frequently mixes Jordon’s radio show, and has mixed and mastered Jordon’s music related projects.
Stephen and Jordon have been friends for 20 years since they first met during their freshman year of high school. Stephen currently resides in Sacramento, CA, USA.
