Aaron Blanton | |
|---|---|
 Blanton at the 2013 Peabody Awards, with Samantha Stendal and Kelsey Jones | |
| Born | March 6, 1991 |
| Occupation | Producer • Director |
| Awards | Peabody Award Telly Award Ambie Award |
Aaron Blanton (born March 6, 1991) is an American producer and director.
His work has gained tens of millions of views online, and he has earned a Peabody Award, a Telly Award, and an Ambie Award. [1] [2] [3]
Blanton grew up in Eugene, Oregon, where he spent high school acting in and directing plays. He attended the University of Oregon, where he majored in Cinema Studies and Journalism.
As a student at the University of Oregon, Blanton co-produced the anti-rape PSA A Needed Response, which subsequently went viral after being featured on Upworthy. [4] [1] In 2013, it became the first viral video ever to win a Peabody Award. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]
He then went on to work on The Hunting Ground, and the PBS series Poetry in America with Elisa New. [12]
In 2021, Blanton created the alternate reality game & fiction podcast What Happened in Skinner with co-Showrunner Katrina Braun. The series gained attention for its innovative format and low-budget production. [13] Its creators, a group of five friends, produced the show at home in their spare time, relying on virality instead of a marketing budget to bolster the show's success. [14] Season 1 was nominated for Best Indie Podcast at the 2022 Ambie Awards. [15] In 2025, Season 2 was again nominated, and subsequently won Best Indie Podcast. [16] The project also incorporated a short film and an alternate reality game. [17] [18]
Blanton is also a creator of The Ghoulish Sanctuary, an immersive Haunted Mansion-inspired vacation rental near Walt Disney World Resort. [19] [20]