Quiz: Can you spot which of these actors are wearing wigs?

A bad wig is an easy target for online roasting: from compilation articles to literal spreadsheets, no on-screen hairline escapes unscathed. But the best wigs pass by with neither notice nor praise.

“I never want anyone coming up to me to say anything,” said Marcel Dagenais, hair department head for TV shows including “Russian Doll” and “Poker Face.” “That means that they’re noticing something. No news is good news.”

But if a bad wig is so obvious, then why are there so many of them out there? Well, it turns out a good wig takes tons of time, money and a veritable encyclopedia of styling knowledge. These efforts are recognized at the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards and, of course, at the upcoming Academy Awards.

Here’s the step-by-step process behind how stylists and wigmakers create, apply and film a great wig.

Step 1: Building the base

Step 2: Weaving in the hair

Step 3: Applying the wig

Step 4: Lighting and filming