• me and my emmy

Me and My Emmy: Aaron I. Butler, ACE

The Euphoria editor reveals how he turned a college roommate's advice into an Emmy-winning career.

Emmy Tally: One

How He Got the Gold: For Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series in 2022, for Euphoria.

Now for the Noms: Butler was also nominated for — and won — a Daytime Emmy in 2017 as a producer of the documentary Out of Iraq. Plus, he has been nominated for three News and Documentary Emmy Awards.

Great Weight: "I keep both my Emmy statuettes together in our living room, on an antique chest, that is a family heirloom. Whenever someone picks one up, they always say the same thing: 'It's heavier than I thought!'"

Pretty in Pink: "My husband, Mark Hartzell, ACE, bought me this amazing pink tuxedo with matching pink Nike Air Jordans for the ceremony. Running around the afterparty carrying my Emmy and wearing my fabulous pink outfit made the night even more special."

Law of Attraction: "I always thought I would be a lawyer, but in my spare time I was shooting and editing my own shorts. My college roommate asked me, 'Shouldn't you go to film school?' It never occurred to me I could make a living doing what I loved! I ended up meeting doc director, Bill Jersey, who became my mentor."

Reel Feels: "I'm in love with storytelling. It's a rich and complex art, and I never get tired of making audiences laugh, cry, think and feel. And I love the editing community! I'm always learning from everyone I work with, and I believe strongly in mentoring the next generation of editors."


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This article originally appeared in issue #11, 2023.