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Behind the Yak: Bjork's Wanderlust Video

Please Note—While you can find a version of the video on Yahoo and Youtube, PLEASE do not watch those versions. They are bastardized, shit versions and, trust me, you need to see this video the way that it was intended. Watch it HERE, in the EP webpage

The following is from a conversation I had with long-time friend Sean Hellfritsch. He’s one part of directing/producing/ team Encyclopedia Pictura, which has been in the press lately due to their release of Bjork’s 3-D “Wanderlust” music video. The narrative masterpiece took Sean and his team about a year from conception to completion and if the amazing stills are any indication, it was time well spent.


I’ll never forget chatting with Sean almost a year ago, when suddenly he said, “Hold on a sec, Bjork is on the phone!” The thing you gotta know about this kid is that he is the poster child for hard work. Bjork was interested in their previous work because its very plain to see that this team has a weird yet appealing artistic vision that flows through all of their work.

He and Isaiah have got to be not only the sillies and most creative guys I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, but the ones that work 18 hour days for 6 months with nothing but a positive attitude and desire for perfection. Even when the budget for the shoot ran out, they decided to work for free—building their own 3-D camera and following through till the end. I know from working on a student project with Sean that he is not satisfied until his vision has been fulfilled.

Watch and hear the guys talk to the NY Times about magic mushrooms, building the camera, and even some comments from Bjork about their work. Click HERE

The same went for the Wanderlust video. The final product almost perfectly matched the storyboards and concept ideas that the team came up with. While they only had a few days to capture Bjork in human form, other parts of the video consist of a giant 7’ tall fiberglass yak, covered in meticulously detailed hand carved foam and paint. Technically, the face is a malleable soft foam casting made from a clay sculpture. The face also had mechanical puppet rigging for his eyelids, eyeballs, nostrils, mouth & tongue. Check out this “making of” video to see just how it came together. As far as the final version is concerned, Sean “couldn't’t be more happy with it. The 3-D is knocking everyone’s socks off”

Watch the "Making of" video:


Of course, for some, work is never done. Now that the video has premiered on both coasts—to rave reviews and packed festivals—the team is finishing up their narrative short film “Mountain Yoga”, preparing web versions of Wanderlust and getting back to real life.

It’s easy to find articles out there of Bjork praising the work of these “gorgeous computer nerds.” She liked—and trusted—them enough to be making the video while others, such as infamous creator Michel Gondry, were working on videos for other songs on the album. Not bad for a 24 year old, sharing a tiny apartment in San Francisco’s mission district, living in bunk beds and surviving off of organic produce.


Things may change a bit for the guys, but from knowing Sean, I highly doubt it will be anything along the lines of their way of life, their love and connection with nature, their kind and generous attitudes and, most of all, their work ethic that proves that you can do and create anything you can dream up.