Aaron I. Butler
- Editor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Editorial Department
Aaron I. Butler, ACE, is a two-time Emmy Award-winning and two-time ACE Eddie Award-nominated editor and producer. He is best known for editing on the second season of the HBO series "Euphoria" for which he won a Primetime Emmy. Other projects he has edited include the IMAX film "Jesus is King" for Kanye West and the film "J.T. LeRoy" starring Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern, which was the closing night film at the Toronto Film Festival in 2018.
Aaron grew up in Atascadero, California. After graduating high school he attended UC Berkeley where he studied pre-law and theater.
He began his film career in 1997 at the Saul Zaentz Film Center in Berkeley where he shot and edited his first documentary "Learning to Fly" with two-time Academy Award-nominated director Bill Jersey. The film won Gold Medals at the New York Festivals and U.S. International Film Festival and aired on PBS. In 2002 Aaron edited on Bill Jersey's documentary series "The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow," which won the Peabody award the IDA Award for Best Limited Series. and was nominated for three Emmy Awards.
Aaron later moved to Los Angeles where he continued his documentary work. He edited the Sundance Channel series "Pleasure for Sale" in 2008, followed by the final season of the HBO show "Taxicab Confessions" in 2010. In 2013 he produced and edited the HBO documentary feature "American Winter" and was nominated for his first Emmy and ACE Eddie Awards.
In 2015 Aaron began editing features starting with "I Am Michael" starring James Franco, Zachary Quinto, and Emma Roberts. It was executive produced by Gus Van Sant, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and was nominated for Best First Feature at the Berlin International Film Festival.
In 2016 Aaron won his first Emmy Award for developing and co-producing the documentary feature "Out of Iraq" with Academy Award winner Eva Orner. Next he produced and edited his first theatrical documentary feature for HBO called "Cries From Syria" with Academy Award-nominated director Evgeny Afineevsky, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film garnered Aaron two Emmy Award nominations, an ACE Eddie Award nomination, a PGA Award nomination, and the Peter Jennings Award. The film also won the Critic's Choice Award for Best Documentary Director, the IDA's Courage Under Fire Award, the Cinema for Peace Award, and the Humanitas Prize.
In 2017 Aaron signed with The Gersh Agency.
In 2018, after being nominated for his second ACE Eddie Award, Aaron was invited to join the American Cinema Editors.
In 2019 Aaron edited his first IMAX film, "Jesus is King" for Kanye West.
In 2021 Aaron edited on his first scripted television show, the second season of the HBO series "Euphoria." He won a Primetime Emmy for his work on the show.
Aaron grew up in Atascadero, California. After graduating high school he attended UC Berkeley where he studied pre-law and theater.
He began his film career in 1997 at the Saul Zaentz Film Center in Berkeley where he shot and edited his first documentary "Learning to Fly" with two-time Academy Award-nominated director Bill Jersey. The film won Gold Medals at the New York Festivals and U.S. International Film Festival and aired on PBS. In 2002 Aaron edited on Bill Jersey's documentary series "The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow," which won the Peabody award the IDA Award for Best Limited Series. and was nominated for three Emmy Awards.
Aaron later moved to Los Angeles where he continued his documentary work. He edited the Sundance Channel series "Pleasure for Sale" in 2008, followed by the final season of the HBO show "Taxicab Confessions" in 2010. In 2013 he produced and edited the HBO documentary feature "American Winter" and was nominated for his first Emmy and ACE Eddie Awards.
In 2015 Aaron began editing features starting with "I Am Michael" starring James Franco, Zachary Quinto, and Emma Roberts. It was executive produced by Gus Van Sant, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and was nominated for Best First Feature at the Berlin International Film Festival.
In 2016 Aaron won his first Emmy Award for developing and co-producing the documentary feature "Out of Iraq" with Academy Award winner Eva Orner. Next he produced and edited his first theatrical documentary feature for HBO called "Cries From Syria" with Academy Award-nominated director Evgeny Afineevsky, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film garnered Aaron two Emmy Award nominations, an ACE Eddie Award nomination, a PGA Award nomination, and the Peter Jennings Award. The film also won the Critic's Choice Award for Best Documentary Director, the IDA's Courage Under Fire Award, the Cinema for Peace Award, and the Humanitas Prize.
In 2017 Aaron signed with The Gersh Agency.
In 2018, after being nominated for his second ACE Eddie Award, Aaron was invited to join the American Cinema Editors.
In 2019 Aaron edited his first IMAX film, "Jesus is King" for Kanye West.
In 2021 Aaron edited on his first scripted television show, the second season of the HBO series "Euphoria." He won a Primetime Emmy for his work on the show.
