Neighborhood Watch has added filmmaking collective Encyclopedia Pictura to its roster of directorial talent. Formed by a trio of childhood friends–Isaiah Saxon, Daren Rabinovitch, and Sean Hellfritsch–Encyclopedia Pictura is known for its handcrafted aesthetic and inventive storytelling–often combining analog and digital techniques to explore themes of nature, adventure, science fiction, and fantasy.
Encyclopedia Pictura’s work lives at the intersection of technology and nature, building vibrant, immersive worlds full of beauty, emotion, and practical magic. The directors’ distinct visual style and sensitive approach to storytelling have earned widespread acclaim, with Esquire naming them “The Directors of the Future” and Filmmaker Magazine listing them among the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” Prior to joining Neighborhood Watch, Encyclopedia Pictura was most recently repped by Nexus Studios.
The relationship between Encyclopedia Pictura and Neighborhood Watch was built over more than five years of collaboration on the A24 feature The Legend of Ochi, written and directed by Saxon and produced by Neighborhood Watch co-founders Traci Carlson and Rich Peete. The film–starring Willem Dafoe, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, Helena Zengal, and animatronic primate performers–brought years of creative vision to fruition, and the collaboration that grew from it became the foundation for this new chapter together.
“Rich and I have been longtime fans of Encyclopedia Pictura, captivated by the boundary-pushing creativity and vision of their work,” said Carlson. “Producing Isaiah’s stunning debut feature, The Legend of Ochi, was a transformative experience for us as producers—it challenged and inspired us to grow in so many ways. Beyond their incredible talents as filmmakers, every member of Encyclopedia Pictura brings a unique energy and passion to the table (and, they happen to be amazing ultimate Frisbee players!). The creative synergy between Isaiah, Daren, and Sean is undeniable, so expanding our partnership to include the entire team felt like a natural and lucky evolution. Their work in the commercial space always stands out, and we’re thrilled to keep building on that together.”
Encyclopedia Pictura earned Video of the Year honors from D&AD, UKVMA, Antville, and Spin for Björk’s “Wanderlust.” They’ve also directed music videos for Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors, Dan Deacon, and Panda Bear, and created striking mixed-media campaigns for brands like EA Games, IKEA, and MTV. Their storytelling spans shows, films, and games developed with Apple, Paramount, Annapurna, Amazon, and JJ Abrams. They also co-founded DIY.org with Vimeo co-founder Zach Klein–an educational platform for kids that inspired their series of animated shorts for Cartoon Network, “DIY.”
“Neighborhood Watch’s filmmaker-driven approach is an independent studio’s dream,” shared Encyclopedia Pictura in a joint statement. “We wanted to continue collaborating with Traci, Rich, and everyone else at Neighborhood Watch following The Legend of Ochi. They’re great champions of creativity, innovation, and exploring the outer boundaries of what’s possible in filmmaking, and we’re very excited to officially become a part of the Neighborhood Watch family.”
