{{short description|American film and television producer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Connor Schell | image = Connor Schell (8162032321) (cropped).jpg | caption = Schell at the 70th Annual Peabody Awards | alma_mater = {{ubl|Harvard University (BA)|Columbia University (MA)}} | occupation = Film and television producer | employer = Words + Pictures | boards = Peabody Awards | children = 3 }}
'''Connor Schell''' is an American film and television producer and the founder of the non-fiction production studio Words + Pictures. He is the co-creator with Bill Simmons and executive producer of the ''30 for 30'' series for ESPN.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/sports/documentaries-are-the-go-to-players-of-sports-television.html|title=Documentaries Are the Go-To Players of Sports Television|last=Sandomir|first=Richard|date=March 21, 2015 |newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|accessdate=July 1, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/2010/06/21/espn-connor-schell-business-entertainment-espn.html|title=Talking TV With ESPN's Connor Schell – Forbes|last=Rose|first=Lacey|website=Forbes|date=June 21, 2010|accessdate=July 1, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=January 2026}}</ref> Schell was also an executive producer of the Academy Award-winning documentary film ''O.J.: Made in America''<ref name="wired.com">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2017/01/oj-made-in-america-oral-history/|title = The Epic Story of 'O.J.: Made in America's' Creation|magazine = Wired|last1 = Watercutter|first1 = Angela}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=February 27, 2017 |title='O.J.: Made in America' wins Academy Award |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/18776042/made-america-wins-best-documentary-feature-oscar |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> and the Emmy Award-winning miniseries ''The Last Dance.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 12, 2022 |title=Connor Schell's studio details executive team |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2022/01/12/Words-Pictures.aspx |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=www.sportsbusinessjournal.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Education and personal life== Schell holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Harvard University and a Master's in Business Administration (with a focus in Media and Entertainment) from Columbia Business School.
He lives in New York, and is married with three children.<ref name="espnmediazone">{{cite web |title=Connor Schell – ESPN MediaZone |url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/connor-schell/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304224835/http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/connor-schell/ |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |accessdate=December 2, 2016 |publisher=espnmediazone.com}}</ref>
== Career == Until early 2021, Schell was executive vice president and head of content at ESPN.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Petski |first1=Denise |title=ESPN Revamp Continues With Connor Schell Named EVP Content |url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/espn-connor-schell-evp-content-1202114793/ |website=Deadline |date=June 16, 2017}}</ref> At ESPN, he oversaw the production of the NFL draft, the College Football National Championship game, Wimbledon, the NBA Finals, and shows like ''College Gameday'' and ''SportsCenter''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Connor Schell: Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, ESPN Films and Original Content |url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/connor-schell/ |publisher=ESPN |access-date=July 12, 2021 |url-status = dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928225333/http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/connor-schell/ |archive-date=September 28, 2016}}</ref> He is a member of the Peabody Awards board of directors<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kanter |first=Jake |date=December 11, 2019 |title=ViacomCBS's Chris McCarthy, ESPN's Connor Schell & Soledad O'Brien Among New Peabody Board Members |url=https://deadline.com/2019/12/peabody-new-board-members-chris-mccarthy-connor-schell-soledad-obrien-1202806303/ |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> and was inducted into the Sports Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame in 2017 when he made the list for the third time, first in 2012 and again in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 20, 2017 |title=Forty Under 40 Class of 2017 revealed |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2017/02/20/Forty-Under-40/2017Class.aspx |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=Sports Business Journal |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
Schell left ESPN to start a joint venture with Chernin Entertainment, founding the non-fiction production studio Words + Pictures in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=Connor Schell, Chernin Entertainment Will Launch New Non-Fiction Studio |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/connor-schell-chernin-entertainment-studio-launch-espn-1234904994/ |website=Variety.com|date=February 10, 2021 }}</ref> Under the Words + Pictures banner, Schell has executive produced docuseries and films like ''Super League: The War for Football'' and the Christopher Reeve documentary film ''Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story'' (2024).<ref name="apple.com">{{Cite web |title=Apple announces new four-part documentary event "Super League: The War for Football" to premiere January 13 |url=https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2022/12/apple-announces-new-four-part-documentary-event-super-league-the-war-for-football-to-premiere-january-13/ |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=Apple TV+ Press |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="SupermanReeveDoc">{{Cite web |last=Dalton |date=May 18, 2023 |first=Ben |title='McQueen' filmmakers reunite for documentary about 'Superman' star Christopher Reeve (exclusive) |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/mcqueen-filmmakers-reunite-for-documentary-about-superman-star-christopher-reeve-exclusive/5182169.article |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=Screen |language=en}}</ref>
In 2021, Schell and Chernin launched Full Day to focus on live entertainment, specials, and unscripted series such as The ESPYS and NFL Honors,<ref name="Morfoot">{{Cite web |last=Morfoot |first=Addie |date=March 26, 2022 |title=Connor Schell Has Rolled Out the Red Carpet for Live-Event Arm, Full Day Productions |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/awards/connor-schell-words-pictures-full-day-productions-oscars-1235215241/ |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as ''The Netflix Cup,'' the platform's first-ever live sports event.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What to Know About 'The Netflix Cup', the Live Sports Event You Never Saw Coming |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/netflix-cup-live-event-date-news |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=Netflix Tudum |language=en}}</ref>
In 2022, Words + Pictures acquired Hock Films, producers of films such as ''The Best That Never Was'', ''Survive and Advance'', ''Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies'', and ''Of Miracles and Men''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hock Films |url=http://hockfilms.com/# |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=hockfilms.com}}</ref>
In 2022, Schell sold Words + Pictures to Peter Chernin's The North Road Company. Schell currently sits on The North Road Company's Board of Directors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=July 6, 2022 |title=Peter Chernin Launching $1B+ Content Studio Rollup The North Road Company |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/peter-chernin-north-road-company-1235175542/ |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Films== As part of Words + Pictures, Schell executive produced ''Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy'' on Netflix and executive produced the documentary film ''Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story'' (2024) about Christopher Reeve.<ref name="SupermanReeveDoc" />
Connor is a producer of the 2016 documentary film ''O.J.: Made in America'' along with Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow, Libby Geist, Tamara Rosenberg and Nina Krstic.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2016/04/04/Forty-Under-40/Connor-Schell.aspx|title=Forty Under 40: Connor Schell|website=www.sportsbusinessdaily.com|accessdate=July 1, 2016}}</ref> ''O.J.: Made in America'' premiered on ABC on June 11, 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-oj-simpson-espn-series-oscars-fx-20160330-story.html|title=ESPN sends a message in film-vs-TV debate: It will qualify upcoming O.J. Simpson series for the Oscars|last=Times|first=Los Angeles|website=Los Angeles Times|date=March 30, 2016|accessdate=July 1, 2016}}</ref> The film won an Oscar, a Peabody Award, and Best Documentary honors at the Gotham Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards, the IDA Awards, the Producer's Guild Awards, National Board of Review, and NY Film Critics. ''OJ: Made in America'' was honored with special recognition from the AFI and a Dupont Award for Journalism. The documentary originated from conversations between Schell and Edelman in early 2014,<ref name="wired.com" /> and is the longest film ever to win an Oscar. The film was also nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://awfulannouncing.com/espn/espns-oscar-winning-o-j-made-america-nominated-6-emmys.html|title = ESPN's Oscar-winning 'O.J.: Made in America' nominated for 6 Emmys|date = July 13, 2017}}</ref>
Along with Bill Simmons, Mark Ciardi, Gordon Gray and Joe Roth, Connor served as an Executive Producer of the 2014 Disney film ''Million Dollar Arm''.<ref name="hollywoodreporter">{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/espns-bill-simmons-connor-schell-667292|publisher=hollywoodreporter.com|title=ESPN's Bill Simmons, Connor Schell to Exec Produce 'Million Dollar Arm' (Exclusive) {{pipe}} Hollywood Reporter|date=December 20, 2013|accessdate=December 2, 2016}}</ref>
Schell served as an Executive Producer for the 2016 Disney film ''Queen of Katwe'', the first Disney film on which ESPN Films has a presentation credit.<ref name="espnmediazone"/>
==Television production== Schell is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning 10-part docuseries ''The Last Dance''. ''The Last Dance'' was a weekly series on ESPN from April 19, 2020, through May 17, 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and when all live sports were suspended indefinitely. The series won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards and was the most watched "30 for 30" in ESPN history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Viewership numbers from 'The Last Dance' prove Michael Jordan documentary was a smash hit |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/michael-jordan-the-last-dance-documentary-numbers-viewership-figures-espn-chicago-bulls-224004795.html |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=sports.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
As part of Words + Pictures, Schell executive produced ''Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space'', a real-time chronicle of Inspiration4, the historic SpaceX Dragon mission that launched four civilians into space.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=February 11, 2021 |title=TIME Studios Wins Exclusive Documentary Rights to Inspiration4, the World's First All-Civilian Mission to Space |url=https://time.com/5938500/time-studios-exclusive-documentary-inspiration4-civilian-mission-space/ |access-date=November 6, 2023 |magazine=Time |language=en}}</ref> He also executive produced the docuseries ''Super League: The War for Football.''<ref name="apple.com"/> Schell is currently executive producing an upcoming eight-part documentary on the Yankees dynasty, entitled ''The Yankees Win,''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Isabelle |date=February 15, 2023 |title=ESPN Films Announces Multi-Part Documentary Event "The Yankees Win" |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/02/espn-films-announces-multi-part-documentary-event-the-yankees-win/ |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=ESPN Press Room U.S. |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as a series on the U.S. Women's National Team's journey to the World Cup<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Richard Deitsch and The Athletic |title=Netflix docu-series to follow USWNT at 2023 Women's World Cup |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4696657/2023/07/17/uswnt-netflix-world-cup-doc-series/ |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=The Athletic |language=en}}</ref> and series on NASCAR.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gluck |first=Jeff |title=NASCAR docuseries coming to Netflix in 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4794127/2023/08/21/nascar-netflix-documentary-series/ |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=The Athletic |language=en}}</ref>
Under Schell's company Full Day, Schell oversees the annual productions of the Oscars Red Carpet show, the Savage X Fenty fashion show, the NFL Honors, as well as the upcoming live show ''The Netflix Cup''.<ref name="Morfoot"/>
In 2014, the Disney XD channel premiered the series ''Becoming'' which was created by Schell, Bill Simmons, Erin Leyden and Gentry Kirby. ''Becoming'' is a series of 30-minute documentaries profiling athletes such as LeBron James, Alex Morgan, Tim Howard, Henrik Lundqvist, Chris Paul and CC Sabathia. The show is executive produced by Schell and Simmons along with Libby Geist, Maverick Carter and LeBron James.<ref name="variety">{{cite web |author=Kevin Noonan |date=February 10, 2015 |title=LeBron James and "30 for 30" Producers Set Sports Docu Series at Disney XD – Variety |url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/lebron-james-and-30-for-30-producers-set-sports-docu-series-at-disney-xd-1201430022/ |accessdate=December 2, 2016 |publisher=variety.com}}</ref>
Working with Maura Mandt and MaggieVision productions, Schell is the executive producer of the annual ESPY Awards on ABC.<ref name="si">{{cite web |title=ESPN execs explain decision to give Caitlyn Jenner an ESPY {{pipe}} SI.com |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/video/2015/07/12/caitlyn-jenner-espys-maura-mandt-connor-schell |accessdate=December 2, 2016 |publisher=si.com}}</ref> He has been the executive producer of the show since 2013.
In 2008, Schell was an Executive Producer on Dan Klores' four-hour film ''Black Magic'', the first film to run under the ESPN Films brand. ''Black Magic'' won a Peabody Award in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/black-magic|title=Black Magic|website=peabodyawards.com}}</ref>
The ''30 for 30'' series, created by Schell and Bill Simmons, was created in 2007 and has aired since 2009. It has won four Emmy Awards<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fourth Annual Television Academy Honors |url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/honors/fourth |accessdate=July 1, 2016}}</ref> and a Peabody Award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=30 For 30 |url=http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/30-for-30 |accessdate=July 1, 2016}}</ref> In 2012, Simmons and Schell announced the creation of ''30 for 30'' shorts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandomir |first=Richard |date=May 15, 2012 |title=ESPN Doubles Up on '30 for 30' Documentary Series |url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/espn-doubles-up-on-30-for-30-documentary-series/ |accessdate=July 1, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=The Paley Center for Media |title=Bill Simmons, Connor Schell & Jason Hirschhorn talk Sports Storytelling at 2014 Paley IC Summit |date=January 29, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as-xeUPWCuY |accessdate=July 1, 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Schell, Connor}} Category:Film producers from New York (state) Category:American television producers Category:Columbia Business School alumni Category:Harvard College alumni Category:Living people Category:Peabody Award winners Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners Category:Sports Emmy Award winners Category:Year of birth missing (living people)