Connor Schell’s Words + Pictures Promotes Libby Geist & Aaron Cohen

EXCLUSIVE: Words + Pictures, the documentary production company founded by former ESPN exec Connor Schell and backed by Peter Chernin’s The North Road Company, has promoted two of its senior leaders.

Libby Geist has been promoted to President and Aaron Cohen to Chief Creative Officer (CCO).

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It comes amid a busy year for the company, which is behind projects including feature doc Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, which sold to Warner Bros. after its Sundance debut.

Geist was previously EVP and head of documentaries, having joined the company at its 2021 launch. She has overseen series and films including Apple’s Super League: The War for Football, ABC/ESPN’s recent Full Court Press, which followed women’s college basketball stars including Caitlin Clark, and Super/Man.

In her new role, Geist will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of its documentary and docuseries business, including development, production, and strategic initiatives.

“It’s been a dream to help build Words + Pictures these past few years,” said Geist. “This company has become home to a team with such collective talent and enthusiasm about documentary, and I’m so honored to lead us toward more growth, producing projects we’re proud of and delivering at the very highest level.”

Cohen was previously EVP, Development and also joined at its launch. He has been instrumental in projects including Netflix’s NASCAR: Full Speed and Countdown, Amazon’s Game 7 and HBO’s The Lionheart.

In his new role, Cohen will lead story development of new projects, drive the creative and editorial direction of ongoing projects, and maintain a particular focus on access-based “follow-documentaries,” serving as a main executive producer on these shows on behalf of the studio.

Both Geist and Cohen will report to Connor Schell.

“Three years ago, when Connor Schell asked me to join the new company he was starting, it was a phenomenal opportunity,” Cohen said. “Being a part of this journey with Connor, Libby, and our entire creative team has been an amazing ride, and I can’t wait to share all our projects in the pipeline with the world.”

“I am thrilled to announce Libby and Aaron to their new positions at Words + Pictures,” added CEO Schell. “Libby’s expertise as both a producer and executive in documentary filmmaking, combined with her innovative approach, deep commitment to storytelling, and long standing relationships across the industry make her the perfect leader for the company as we move forward. And Aaron’s unparalleled grasp of story, filmmaker friendly approach and innovative mindset have been key drivers in our success to date. Together, we are excited for Words + Pictures to continue to break new ground in the space and tell more unforgettable stories as we continue to grow. They are great leaders of a fantastic team.”

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