Words + Pictures

Words + Pictures

Company type	Private
Industry	Film and television production
Founded	2021
Founder	Connor Schell
Headquarters	New York City (SoHo) , United States
Key people	Connor Schell (CEO), Libby Geist (President), Aaron Cohen (Chief Creative Officer), Dave Chamberlin (President of Full Day division)
Products	Documentaries, documentary series, sports films, television productions
Parent	North Road Company (since 2022)

Words + Pictures is a production company established in 2021 by Connor Schell in collaboration with Chernin Entertainment. Schell, who previously held the position of ESPN's head of content, currently acts as the CEO. In 2024, Libby Geist was elevated from EVP and head of documentaries to President, while Aaron Cohen moved up from EVP of Development to Chief Creative Officer.

Also in 2021, Words + Pictures introduced Full Day, a division specializing in live entertainment, specials, and unscripted programming, under the leadership of President Dave Chamberlin.

The following year, Peter Chernin revealed the formation of the North Road Company, a worldwide content studio merging Chernin Entertainment, Words + Pictures, and the U.S. operations of Red Arrow Studios, which includes Love Is Blind producer Kinetic Content. Backers of this venture comprise Chernin Entertainment, Providence Equity Partners, Apollo, and the QIA.

Words + Pictures broadened its reach by acquiring Hock Films in 2022, founded by acclaimed director Jonathan Hock, followed by Little Room Films in 2023, headed by Jason Hehir (director of The Last Dance).

The studio also collaborates with NASCAR's Full Speed Entertainment, Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions, and Two One Five, led by Questlove and Black Thought.

Words + Pictures operates out of its headquarters located in SoHo, New York City.

Filmography

Content produced by Words + Pictures has been distributed across platforms such as ESPN, ESPN+, Apple TV+, Max, Hulu, Prime Video, and Netflix.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

In collaboration with Misfits Entertainment and Passion Pictures, Words + Pictures financed and produced the documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024), which explores the life and activism of actor Christopher Reeve.

The documentary debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023 and was subsequently acquired by Warner Bros. Discovery for distribution through Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films, as well as streaming on Max. The deal was reportedly valued near $15 million. In November 2024, it garnered six accolades at the Critics' Choice Awards, including Best Documentary Feature.

Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space

Directed by Jason Hehir, Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space (2021) captures the SpaceX Dragon mission that sent four civilians into orbit. The project was produced by TIME Studios in partnership with Words + Pictures.

Giannis: The Marvelous Journey

The 2024 documentary Giannis: The Marvelous Journey follows the rise of Giannis Antetokounmpo to the NBA, emphasizing the obstacles he and his family encountered as Nigerian immigrants living in Greece. Directed by Kristen Lappas and produced by Words + Pictures, it is available for streaming on Amazon's Prime Video.

Open Heart

Open Heart documents the journey of New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist as he strives to make a comeback in hockey following heart surgery. This film, produced by Words + Pictures and directed by Jonathan Hock, debuted as a Spotlight Documentary at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

The Lionheart

The 2023 documentary The Lionheart, a collaboration between Words + Pictures, Stardust Frames, XTR, and TIME Studios, examines the tragic IndyCar accident involving two-time Indy 500 Champion Dan Wheldon and delves into the racing careers of his sons, Sebastian and Oliver. The film was acquired by HBO Sports Documentaries and premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

Ayenda

Produced by MSNBC Films, TIME Studios, and Words + Pictures, the 2023 short documentary Ayenda, directed by Marie Margolius, captures the evacuation of Afghanistan's Under-18 Women's Football Team following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul.

Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy

The documentary trilogy Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy (2022), directed by Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, chronicles two decades of musical artist Kanye West's career. Created with creative input from Words + Pictures and Executive Producer Connor Schell, in partnership with TIME Studios, it is available for streaming on Netflix.

"Dude Perfect: A Very Long Shot"

The episode "Dude Perfect: A Very Long Shot," season 4, episode 19 of ESPN's 30 for 30, directed by Oliver Anderson and Louis Burgdorf, tells the story of how a group of college friends turned YouTube trick shot videos into a prominent sports-comedy brand. Produced jointly by ESPN Films and Words + Pictures, it premiered in August 2024.

"American Son"

"American Son," produced by ESPN Films alongside Words + Pictures, features Emmy-nominated correspondent Jay Caspian Kang exploring tennis star Michael Chang's unexpected rise and immigrant family history. The episode highlights Chang's upset victory over top-ranked Ivan Lendl at the 1989 French Open shortly after the Tiananmen Square events. It debuted in July 2024.

"No Scope: The Story of FaZe Clan"

Directed by Justin Staple and produced by ESPN Films with Words + Pictures, "No Scope: The Story of FaZe Clan" traces the rise and obstacles faced by esports giant FaZe Clan. This episode premiered in June 2024.

"Jeanette Lee Vs."

Jeanette Lee Vs. chronicles billiards icon Jeanette Lee, known as the Black Widow. Directed by Ursula Liang and produced by ESPN Films with Words + Pictures, it aired in December 2022.

"Shark"

Profiling golfer Greg Norman and the critical moments of the 1996 Masters Tournament, Shark was directed by Jason Hehir and Thomas Odelfelt. Produced by ESPN Films alongside Words + Pictures, it premiered in April 2022.

All episodes within the 30 for 30 series are distributed by ESPN and are accessible on ESPN/ESPN+.

Documentary on Kate Spade

As of November 2025, a documentary centered on the renowned fashion designer Kate Spade is underway. This project represents the directorial debut of her niece, Rachel Brosnahan.

The Kingdom

The Kingdom is a six-episode documentary series that follows the Kansas City Chiefs as they strive for a third straight Super Bowl victory. This series, co-produced by Skydance Sports and Words + Pictures with Patrick Mahomes serving as executive producer, debuted on ESPN and Disney+ in August 2025.

Court of Gold

The Netflix docuseries Court of Gold captures the journeys of Teams USA, Serbia, France, and Canada during the 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris. It is a collaborative production involving Words + Pictures, Higher Ground, and the Olympic Channel.

Celtics City

Directed by Emmy recipient Lauren Stowell, Celtics City documents the story of the Boston Celtics. Co-produced by HBO Sports Documentaries, Ringer Films, and Words + Pictures, it premiered on HBO and was available for streaming on Max in March 2025.

For the Win: NWSL

The four-part series For the Win: NWSL chronicles the 2024 NWSL playoffs culminating in the Championship. Produced by Words + Pictures, it launched on Amazon Prime Video in March 2025.

Game 7

Game 7 is an anthology consisting of five episodes that explore some of the most legendary game sevens in sports history. Produced by Words + Pictures for Amazon's Prime Video, it premiered on October 22, 2024.

The Fight Life

Following a year in the careers of five prominent Top Rank Boxing athletes—Tyson Fury, Naoya Inoue, Seniesa Estrada, Teofimo Lopez, and Josh Taylor—The Fight Life is produced by ESPN in collaboration with Words + Pictures and Top Rank. It debuted on October 7 via ESPN+ and was broadcast on ESPN2.

Full Court Press

Developed for ESPN+, Full Court Press is a documentary series produced by Words + Pictures alongside Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions and directed by Kristen Lappas. The show follows collegiate basketball players such as Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso, and Kiki Rice. Its first season premiered in May 2024, with a second season featuring Hannah Hidalgo, Flau’jae Johnson, and Kiki Iriafen airing on ESPN in May 2025.

NASCAR: Full Speed

This documentary series, titled NASCAR: Full Speed, is a collaboration between Words + Pictures and NASCAR Studios, offering an inside perspective on the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series. It premiered on Netflix in January 2024, with a second season planned for release in 2025.

Super League: The War for Football

Produced by Words + Pictures alongside All Rise Films for Apple TV+, Super League: The War for Football is a four-part documentary miniseries from 2023 directed by Jeffrey Zimbalist. It examines the controversial 2021 breakaway league attempt that shook European football. In May 2024, the series earned two Sports Emmy Awards: Outstanding Documentary Series and Outstanding Graphic Design - Specialty.

Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning

The 2023 three-part documentary series Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning delves into the murder of Carol Stuart, the subsequent police inquiry, and the broader sociopolitical issues intertwined with the case. Directed by Jason Hehir and produced by Little Room Films, it emphasizes significant legal and societal ramifications.

Under Pressure: The U.S. Women's World Cup Team

Under Pressure: The U.S. Women's World Cup Team (2023) chronicles the journey of the United States women's national soccer team as they strive for their third straight World Cup title. This series, produced by Words + Pictures in collaboration with TIME, is available for streaming on Netflix.

Sue's Places

The 2024 ESPN series Sue's Places, created by Omaha Productions alongside Words + Pictures, features former UConn basketball standout Sue Bird as she investigates college basketball traditions.

The King of Collectibles

The King of Collectibles showcases sports card enthusiast Ken Goldin and his specialized auction house for collectibles. Produced jointly by Words + Pictures and Omaha Productions, its first season debuted on Netflix in April 2023, followed by a second season released in June 2024.

Algiers, America: The Relentless Pursuit

Directed by Jackson Fager—known for his work with VICE News and HBO's Fighting ISIS—this five-episode documentary highlights a thriving high school football program confronting urban obstacles. A joint production of Words + Pictures, Fager Films, and Andscape, it premiered on Hulu in April 2023.

The Yankees Win (upcoming)

Announced in February 2023, Words + Pictures is collaborating with Hock Films, Bad Robot, Zipper Bros Films, and Major League Baseball to develop an eight-episode documentary series focusing on the New York Yankees. The series is directed by Jonathan Hock.

Full Day

Full Day represents the live production arm of Words + Pictures and is overseen by President and Executive Producer Dave Chamberlin, an Emmy Award-winning producer. This division is responsible for producing prominent live events such as the Oscars Red Carpet Show, Emmys Red Carpet Show, NFL Honors, ESPYS, Netflix Slam, Netflix Cup, and Savage X Fenty presentations.

Awards

Year	Project	Awarding Body	Award	Result
2024	Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story	Critics Choice Association	Best Documentary Feature	Won
			Best Director	Won
			Best Editing	Won
			Best Score	Won
			Best Archival Documentary	Won
			Best Biographical Documentary	Won
		Producers Guild Awards	Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures	Won
		BAFTA	Best Documentary	Won
2024	Super League: The War for Football	National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy Awards)	Outstanding Documentary Series - Serialized	Won
			Outstanding Graphic Design	Won
2024	King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch	National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy Awards)	Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program	Nominated
2024	Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning	National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy Awards)	Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary	Won
			Best Documentary	Nominated
			Outstanding Editing: Documentary	Nominated
		Peabody Awards	84th Annual Peabody Awards	Nominated
		Gotham Awards	Breakthrough Nonfiction Series	Nominated

|- |- rowspan="2" |2023 |- rowspan="2" |The Lionheart |- Tribeca Festival |- Best Documentary Feature |- |- |- Heartland International Film Festival |- Audience Choice Award |- |- |- rowspan="2" |2023 |- rowspan="2" |Ayenda |- Doc NYC |- Directing Award, Shorts |- |- |- Venice Fullshot Film Festival |- Jury Prize, Best Documentary Short |- |- |- 2023 |- rowspan="4" |Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy |- 16th Cinema Eye Honors |- Outstanding Broadcast Cinematography |- |- |- rowspan="3" |2022 |- National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy Awards) |- Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Series |- |- |- Hollywood Critics Association |- Best Streaming Docuseries or Non-Fiction Series |- |- |- MTV Movie & TV Awards |- Best Music Documentary |- |}