The Video
This is a recording of lyrical poetry written by Julia Herz and performed throughout Lyons, Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, and states across the U.S. via cameos from the Gray For Good Zoom cast. The video was recorded on December 20, 2020. #GrayForGood.
Segment Breakdown
Note: Unless otherwise noted the cast is Julia (with no makeup and no ‘recent’ hair color).
0:00–0:08
Gray gray
Ain't goin’ away.
And since it’s here,
I’ve got something to say.
This is my truth, and I’m going to let it loose.
You ready?
Location: Spirit Hound Distillers, Lyons, Colorado. Filming at Spirit Hound was meaningful because I frequent the distillery often, along with my husband Greg (who catches the guitar off-camera). The families of Lyons who own Spirit Hound, along with Craig (Distiller) and Amanda Englehorn (Mixologist, Marketing and so much more) are amazing. BUY THEIR WHISKEY.
Wardrobe
The Leather Jacket: That’s my riding jacket (I have a 1992 Harley FXR) purchased in the late ‘90s at the same physical space as the distillery. Previously the building housed a motorcycle shop called Red Hill Motorcycles. How’s that for coming full circle?
Inspiration: The execution of this intro was inspired by my friend Chris Spradley. When I read Chris the lyrics intro lyrics, he said we suggested the bar stool with a guitar.
Props
The Guitar: It’s mine, we bought it from Costco years ago. Strings were broken, it was out of tune, dusty, and prime for a stellar end to its existence. Holding a guitar in this scene foreshadows later in the video when I live out one of my life’s dreams which is to BASH A GUITAR ON STAGE.
The Beer: The beer sitting on the bar is my homebrew brewed while filming “BEER! - A Love Story” movie. It is a Choke Cherry Baltic Red. I lagered it for two years and the chokecherries came from a bush that spontaneously grew in our backyard 10 feet from where we homebrew. If anyone is actually geeky enough to want the recipe I'll share it with you.
Location: Various homes of the Gray For Good Zoom cast, who graciously muscled through technology to record their lines.
Cast: Dr. Nicole Garneau, Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham, Mary Huron Hunter, Jen Jordan, Laura Lodge, Jasmine Lok, Andrea Oetting, Katherine Weadley
0:09–0:10
Yes!
0:11–0:20
Why we gotta color?
Why we gotta try?
Why we gotta cover up what’s real and not a lie?
Don’t I got that aura?
Don’t I got that vibe?
Don’t we get to celebrate every year I’m alive?
Location: Spirit Hound Distillery, Lyons, Colorado
Choreography: The dance steps are a modified version of what Jasmine Lok (co-owner of Defined Motion Dance Studio) designed for me as the video choreographer. They are Nia and hip hop dance-inspired. I asked for badass, but also accessible moves for those like me who don’t dance and don’t have rhythm. Also added is strumming at “celebrate” to again foreshadow the guitar bashing, and smirk at “celebrate” to reinforce that we all should be celebrating women as we age and go gray.
0:22–0:25
I’m a woman with a soul.
When people scan my gray,
It makes me feel that I’m not whole.
Location: Spirit Hound Distillery, Lyons, Colorado
Cast: Julia, Dave Kempre
The man with the mullet wig turned out to be our neighbor two blocks away from our house. Bryan Simpson (videographer of the video) and Dave D.K. Kempare are friends. Out of the kindness of his heart, Dave gave up some of his Saturday to shoot this scene. I have since thanked him with a bottle of Spirit Hound Whiskey (cask strength).
Location: Planet Bluegrass main stage, Lyons, Colorado
Cast: Julia, Rebekah Hartman, and Jasmine Lok
Inspiration: The silly, systemic and wasteful shame felt by women as we go gray is ridiculous. Bashing the guitar is symbolic of the frustration. Also, Google “guitar bashing”, and there are barely any women on video bashing. Well…now that can change with this video, and yours too. Go for it and wear glasses to protect your eyes.
0:26–0:27
Guitar bashing
Location: The bathroom in our home in Lyons, Colorado.
Inspiration: When explaining this campaign to my kids, our son Leo said you need to show the act of coloring. I went with our bathroom as a location since I was not up for going to a salon and filming a scene that might depict anyone doing wrong. It is not wrong to color gray. It is wrong to shame those who don’t.
Wardrobe: I wanted to wear the shirt “I love Saturday” to mock the mental lifeblood of a proper Saturday brought to a screeching halt when my brain would conclude that it was, once again, can’t put it off any longer, time to prioritize coloring my hair and gray roots.
0:27 to 0:29
Oh man. Color and dye.
Video credit: Amazing, incredible and ever talented Luke Trautwein, Brewers Association, 2015. From: How Do You Open Your Beer
Inspiration: This cheeky slow-mo clip expresses “want to cry.” Plus at the time, I was coloring my hair.
Location: Brewers Association rooftop, Boulder, Colorado
0:30 to 0:31
When I cover up my authentic self,
it makes me want to cry.
Location: The backyard trampoline of neighbors Dan and Kristin Brucker (of Spice of Life Catering)
Drone shot: This is the first scene in the video where Bryan Simpson of Chromatic Digital Productions used his drone. He also shot some scenes with his handheld camera and suggested I throw the hat at the camera as an ode to the Beastie Boys.
0:32 to 0:37
Sure I get a boost.
Sure I get some shine.
It also feels strange to mask what truly is mine.
Location: Planet Bluegrass main stage, Lyons, Colorado
Cast: Julia, Rebekah Hartman and Jasmine Lok
0:38 to 0:39
Guitar bashing
Location: The bathroom our home in Lyons, Colorado.
0:40 to 0:45
Every two months roots peek out,
Catching eyes throughout my day.
Then the hold out weeks,
turn into gray.
Location: Various homes of the Gray For Good Zoom cast.
Background: I want girls and boys to watch this video and struggle with using a curse word. My dear friend Shannon Johnson suggested we alter the curse to “friggin”, and Bryan added the playful bike bell sound too.
0:46 to 0:47
Oy f*ing vey!
Location: The bathroom in our home in Lyons, Colorado.
Explosion: This is to signify that color is not just cognitive dissonance in a box, but also chemicals in a box, which can and do cause harm.
Background: This scene to me is very important to the story of coloring gray hair. “Cognitive dissonance” relates to contrary beliefs and values, and is tied to psychological stress due to conflict. In this case, it’s the silent but detrimental internal conflict that tens of millions of women feel while we color our gray.
0:48 to 0:53
Color is cheap, but there is a cost.
It’s cognitive dissonance in a box.
Location: Planet Bluegrass festival grounds next to the St. Vrain River, Lyons, Colorado
Cast: Julia, Rebekah and Jasmine
Choreography: Jasmine created the moves for this section for her and Rebekah. I fully botched my part and thus went free form.
0:54 to 0:58
All my power. All my love.
All my hair in all its glory.
Let’s discuss this ongoing story.
Location: Planet Bluegrass main stage, Lyons, Colorado and various locations of Zoom cast members
Cast: Zoom cast + Julia, Rebekah and Jasmine center square
Choreography: Jasmine created the moves for this section and they are the same steps as the intro chorus. That said, I went free form.
0:59 to 1:08
Why we gotta color?
Why we gotta try?
Why we gotta cover up what’s real and not a lie?
Location: Planet Bluegrass main stage, Lyons, Colorado and various homes of the Gray For Good Zoom cast
Cast: Zoom cast + Julia, Rebekah and Jasmine dancing in center square.
Lyrics: The lyrics are an evolved version of the first chorus, the focus is now on all of us - “we” - and the last line is different.
1:09 to 1:13
Don’t we got that aura?
Don’t we got that vibe?
Don’t we get to let it flow as time passes by?
Location: Planet Bluegrass festival grounds next to the St. Vrain River, Lyons, Colorado
Cast: Julia, Rebekah and Jasmine
Background: These lyrics fit with the cheeky yet remarkably factual point of the video: women are not living in an equal world. This scene also highlights the Gray For Good call to action which is celebrating women who go gray for good, and using gray hair to shore up the gender equity gap by increasing funding of women’s and girls causes.
1:14 to 1:20
Mothers, daughters, girlfriends too
If WE had our way…
We’d have LOTS of pants pockets,
gray would be OK
And… we’d have EQUAL PAY.
Location: Planet Bluegrass main stage, Lyons, Colorado and various homes of the Gray For Good Zoom cast
Cast: Jen Jordan, Dr. J. Nikol Beckham, Dr. Nicole Garneu in Zoom squares + Julia, Rebekah and Jasmine on left
1:21 to 1:23
Yeah!
1:24 to 1:26
Slow-mo flipping as we go on riffing…
Location: Various homes of the Gray For Good Zoom cast + Julia’s bathroom
Cast: Zoom cast + Julia center square
Background: Keeping it light and fun, but yet…we have more to say on this topic.
Location: My home office in Lyons, Colorado
Background: These lyrics came late to me in the process and are some of the most important. If we could rewrite “non-fiction” we could remove the entire notion and societal brainwashing that women should color our gray (the learned addiction part)! And while we’re at it, let’s eradicate agewashing. In so many cultures aging is celebrated. The more mature the more wise and valued, right? Coloring gray causes afflictions that go so deep and are so raw it’s difficult to summarize. There ae exponential costs to physical health issues from the chemicals, mental health issues from the stigma of coloring or not coloring, confidence issues, financial issues, time issues, and more.
1:27 to 1:38
Marketing and media fuel false depiction.
Today I just want to re-write non-fiction.
Coloring gray is a learned addiction tied to ageism and one that has real afflictions.
Location: Planet Bluegrass festival grounds next to the St. Vrain River, Lyons, Colorado
Cast: Julia, Rebekah and Jasmine
Background: I wanted one verse in this lyrical poem to mention “pretty” and to tie that to self-confidence.
1:39 to 1:45
And as I wax poetic in this relevant diddy.
I am solid, self-assured,
And just as pretty.
1:46 to 1:50
Yet all through Hollywood and everywhere at home,
Women’s gray is being disowned.
Location: Lyons, Colorado parking lot in the backyard of my home
Prop: My minivan and the ‘Don’t Die Wondering’ bumper sticker that I designed and sold when I was in my 20’s.
Background: For this, I had intended to reflect my neighborhood (home) but had reasons that prevented us from filming in front of my house. I also wanted “soccer mom” vibe as a play on all the scantily clad women I’ve seen photographed on the front hoods of race cars.
1:51 to 1:53
Time to rip the band-aid off
leave the two-tone alone.
Location: The bathroom in my home in Lyons, Colorado.
Props: The remnants of my last hair coloring box from 2019. It felt SO GOOD to shoot that scene and make a mess of the color kit that would never be used for the original purpose intended.
Location: Planet Bluegrass festival grounds next to the St. Vrain River, Lyons, Colorado
Cast: Julia, Rebekah and Jasmine
1:54 to 1:59
Wait out the emerging roots girlfriends
And coast into the natural throne
Location: Planet Bluegrass festival grounds next to the St. Vrain River, Lyons, Colorado
Cast: Julia
Background: These lyrics summarize the true gist of the video. Time to practice gray for good for all womanhood.
2:00 to 2:10
During today’s refreshing reckoning let’s break the chains of this false game and instead practice gray for good for all womanhood.
2:11 to 2:42 Credits
Video Credits
Cast — first appearance
Julia Herz, Protagonist
Dave D.K. Kemp, Mullet man
Jasmine Lok, Dancer
Rebekah Hartman, Dancer
Zoom Cast — alphabetical
Dr. Nicole Garneau
Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham
Mary Huron Hunter
Jen Jordan
Laura Lodge
Jasmine Lok
Andrea Oetting
Katherine Weadley
Crew
Julia Herz - HerzMuses Enterprises, Writer, Director, Producer, Website content
Brian Simpson - Chromatic Digital Productions, Videographer, Director, Editor, Soundtrack
Jasmine Lok - Defined Motion Dance Studio, Choreographer
Greg Ucker - Scene and emotional support as my wonderful husband
Locations
Amanda and Craig Englehorn - Spirit Hound Distillers, Lyons, Colorado
Brewers Association rooftop - Boulder, Colorado
Dan and Kristin Brucker of Spice of Life Catering - Lyons, Colorado
Craig Ferguson of Planet Bluegrass - Lyons, Colorado
Creative
Music
Danny Harms and Adam Raiola - Studio DNVR, Website design
Duncan Bryant - Soundtrack enhancements
Dave Ezra, Intro and Outro music - BeatBox
Max Razumov, Body music - Bass Guitar
Additional
Alyssa Powers - Website copy editor, marketing support
Jess Baker - Copyediting
Dustin Hall - Headshot photography, The Brewtography Project
Lauren Stovall - Julia’s hair cutter, Starboard Salon
Sisterhood of Wise Owls - Amanda Cronin, Alison Jennings, Shannon Johnson, Ali VanLeeuwen
Start
Consciously celebrating women with gray hair
Save
Stop, or never start, coloring your gray
Say You Gave
Tag #GrayForGood, state the $ you are donating and tag @ your chosen women’s focused charity.