'Exceptional Minds': Animation Studio That Welcomes People With Autism As Employees

A local non-profit organization based in Sherman Oaks, California paves a way for individuals diagnosed with autism to enhance their skills and showcase their talents in animation. Exceptional Minds is known as the only vocational school and animation studio that gives children with autism the opportunity to show the world what they do despite having a disorder.

Exceptional Minds is a non-profit vocational school that is committed to change the world one student at a time. What made Exceptional Mind standout is their drive to train and educate children with autism spectrum disorder. The organization is driven to train and educate students in expanding their knowledge in regards to computer animation, multimedia and post-production.

Business Insider reported that Exceptional Minds was first established in 2009, which then had their first class with just nine students by 2011. The school eventually expanded wherein that opened their own home studio. It was then mentioned that Exceptional Minds was then forced to turn away some of their applicants as they mentioned that they have limited funding, which cannot accommodate more students.

The Exceptional Minds' executive producer opened up about their program where she mentioned that their program effectively works for people with autism. She then mentioned that young adults diagnosed with autism are keen on the topic.

"This type of work is really good for someone with autism," Susan Zwerman, Exceptional Minds' executive producer told Business Insider. " They're really into the pixels, in terms of the rotoscoping, They zoom in, and they really want to fix it to the Nth degree."

One of the students, Nico Arredondo opened up about his experience with Exponential Minds where he mentioned that it gives him the freedom to live his life without borders. Arredondo, who was able to graduate last June and is now a junior artist, was able to work with "Doctor Strange."

"It feels like I have my own life," Arredondo says. "I have a job, and I'm practicing to get better and getting ready to work outside for any studio."