In a month dedicated to exploration, of places, ideas and the parts of ourselves we don't always see, filmmaker Haley Geffen feels like a natural fit. The six-time Emmy Award-winning director and co-founder of Coed Studios has built her career on a simple instinct: look closer.
In an era when attention is measured in clicks and seconds spent scrolling, Geffen is drawn to something more enduring. Her work explores the emotional terrain that connects people to one another, the quiet moments, unguarded expressions and flashes of vulnerability that reveal who we are beneath the surface.
Her projects span national advertising campaigns, global brand storytelling and some of television's most visible sports productions. Yet whether she's directing a commercial, developing an independent film or collaborating with world-class athletes and artists, Geffen approaches each project with the curiosity of a storyteller searching for the human thread.
She recently visited Highland Park, where she spoke with local audiences about creativity, storytelling and building a career in a rapidly changing media landscape. The conversation offered insight into the philosophy that has guided her work for more than a decade: stories matter most when people recognize themselves inside them.
A Career Shaped by Curiosity
Raised in Michigan, Geffen did not initially set out to become a filmmaker. She studied sports management at the University of Michigan, drawn to the energy and culture surrounding athletics. But an early career in sports television, first with ESPN and later NBC Sports, became an unexpected gateway into storytelling.
Live production taught her to move quickly, trust her instincts and find the emotional center of a story. Whether profiling athletes or producing major broadcast content, she learned that audiences rarely remember statistics. They remember people.
"It was always the human side that interested me," she says.
That instinct carried her into some of the most visible productions in sports entertainment, including NBC's Sunday Night Football opening sequences featuring athletes, musicians and entertainers. The work demanded precision, creativity and the ability to lead large teams under pressure. It also earned Geffen six Emmy Awards.
Yet even as her career expanded, she found herself drawn toward stories that required more nuance and emotional depth.
Building a Creative Home
That desire led Geffen to co-found Coed Studios, a Brooklyn-based production company built around collaboration, creativity and community. Founded with director Sam Stephens and a team of creative partners, the company was designed to be nimble, artist-driven and open to experimentation.
Its philosophy reflects Geffen's own approach to storytelling: the best work emerges when talented people are given room to explore.
Through Coed Studios, Geffen has directed campaigns for brands including Nike, Under Armour, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Meta, GEICO, Frito-Lay, Crest and Dove. Her work often blends cinematic visuals with humor, heart and an emphasis on authentic human experiences.
Her collaborations have included everyone from Adam Driver and Olivia Colman to Kobe Bryant, Drake, Alicia Keys and Vice President Kamala Harris. Yet regardless of the subject, Geffen begins with the same question: What's the human moment?
That focus has led her to projects that extend well beyond advertising. NBC tapped her to direct two programs exploring the life and legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, examining the personal dimensions of one of the country's most influential public figures.
Charting New Territory
Geffen's independent films offer perhaps the clearest expression of her creative voice.
Her award-winning short film Hey Girl uses movement, performance and visual storytelling to explore self-worth, resilience and personal growth. The film earned 12 international awards, including the Best Shorts Humanitarian Award, and connected with audiences who saw pieces of their own experiences reflected on screen.
Rather than relying on a traditional narrative structure, Hey Girl invites viewers into an emotional journey. It's an approach Geffen has returned to throughout her independent work.
Her more recent film, Jolie, which debuted in Paris and New York, continues that exploration. Blending cinematic imagery with intimate character-driven storytelling, the film examines identity, growth and the courage required to embrace change.
Together, the projects reflect Geffen's interest in stories that explore vulnerability, transformation and the complexity of being human. They also demonstrate her willingness to experiment with form, using movement, visual metaphor and emotion to create work that feels immersive and deeply personal.
Exploring What Connects Us
Colleagues often describe Geffen as collaborative, intuitive and deeply invested in the people around her. On set, she sees herself less as a commander than a guide, helping creative teams discover the strongest version of a story.
Her years in sports television still influence her approach. Live production leaves little room for hesitation. Decisions happen quickly. Stories must be clear. Audiences must care.
In a media landscape that changes by the minute, Geffen believes the fundamentals remain remarkably consistent. Technology evolves. Platforms come and go. But audiences continue to respond to the same qualities they always have: honesty, emotion and relatability.
She is also passionate about mentoring emerging talent and creating opportunities for the next generation of filmmakers. Throughout her career, she has championed collaboration, believing that diverse experiences lead to richer storytelling and stronger creative work.
For Geffen, exploration has never been limited to geography. It is a way of seeing.
It means asking questions, staying curious and looking beyond the obvious. It means searching for the moments that reveal who we are and what connects us.
And after years spent moving between sports broadcasts, commercial campaigns and independent films, that search remains at the heart of everything she creates.
"It was always the human side that interested me," Geffen says.