Aaron Blanton | |
|---|---|
 Blanton at the 2013 Peabody Awards, with Samantha Stendal and Kelsey Jones | |
| Born | March 6, 1991 Eugene, Oregon, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Oregon |
| Occupation | Producer • Director |
| Awards | Peabody Award Ambie Award Telly Award Signal 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.
While 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] Blanton filmed the video in his living room with friend Samantha Stendal to express their frustration with CNN's coverage of the Steubenville High School rape case. The video quickly amassed over 10 million views on YouTube. In 2013, A Needed Response became the first viral video ever to win a Peabody Award, while Blanton and Stendal became two of its youngest ever winners. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
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. [11] 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. [12] Season 1 was nominated for Best Indie Podcast at the 2022 Ambie Awards. [13] In 2025, Season 2 was again nominated, and subsequently won Best Indie Podcast. [3] Season 2 was also honored with a Bronze Signal Award. [14] The project also incorporated a short film and an alternate reality game. [15] [16]
Blanton was a cinematographer for the Oscar-nominated documentary The Hunting Ground , and the PBS series Poetry in America . [17]
He is also a co-creator of The Ghoulish Sanctuary, an immersive Haunted Mansion-inspired vacation rental near Walt Disney World Resort. [18] [19] [20]