Exceptional Minds

Exceptional Minds students are ready for the 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students! 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students is a free international event where students around the world compete in teams of 5 to complete a 30-second animated film in just 24 Hours based on a given theme chosen by Aubry Mintz, the founder of this contest. https://lnkd.in/gnWZdYAU

Exceptional Minds students, studio artists, and staff were invited to an early screening of PIECE BY PIECE, an animated documentary where LEGO bricks tell the life story of singer/songwriter and record producer Pharrell Williams. The screening was followed by a Q&A with Pharrell and Director Morgan Neville! Thank you to Focus Features for extending an invitation to our community — we loved the use of animation (and LEGOs) to tell Pharrell's story. In theaters October 11, 2024

Exceptional Minds is proud to announce that we’ve been awarded a grant from NEXT for AUTISM This funding will support our students and artists as they prepare for careers in the digital arts, media, and entertainment! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g-eZgg2d

We’re excited to unveil the EM Animation Studio’s new sizzle reel, showcasing our artists’ recent and continuing work. This reel, the Animation Studio’s first since 2021, showcases work by EM graduate artists who contributed to projects for clients such as CBS Sports, Cartoon Network, Social Optics, the Japan-American Association of Southern California, and Paramount/Nickelodeon. Additionally, there are some sneak peeks in the reel of our new original content! Thank you to production team member and graduate artist Aaron Trost for cutting this new reel together. Watch now: https://lnkd.in/g8uakX6j

We're hiring! Exceptional Minds is seeking a dedicated and experienced HR Manager to lead the organization’s human resources day-to-day operations. Reporting to the Executive Director/CEO, this role is crucial in fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment that empowers employees and aligns with our mission of preparing young adults on the autism spectrum for careers in the entertainment industry. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in HR management, including recruiting, employee relations, performance management, compliance, and HR policy development. Experience in a nonprofit setting and a passion for working with diverse populations is highly desirable. To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to [email protected] View the full job description here: https://lnkd.in/gqhSRBER

On Sunday, September 22 at 11am PT, Exceptional Minds Executive Director David Siegel will be speaking at this year's Stanford Neurodiversity Summit to discuss Strength's-Based Culture in the Workplace! Now in it’s 5th year, the Stanford Neurodiversity Summit is an annual online conference which puts neurodiverse voices at the center of discussions with researchers, caretakers, advocates, and other members of a growing global community. The summit is an affordable and accessible resource for many members of these communities which thousands of past attendees have found to be valuable. This year, for the first time, the Summit will take on a hybrid format, allowing individuals who are able to attend in person to join at Li Ka Shing Center from September 22nd-24th. All in-person content will also be available via live-streamed zoom webinars for virtual attendees. If you are interested in neurodiversity and want to join the event, learn more at https://lnkd.in/g74dKjrJ

We're #hiring a new HR Manager (People and Culture) in Los Angeles, California. Apply today or share this post with your network.

Congratulations to Class of 2024 graduate Kris Helmacy for completing their Creative Production Internship at Disney Television Animation!

Thank you, Corporate Star Awards for honoring us with the 'Best Campaign to Improve Training & Education' Award! Recognitions such as this one remind us of the positive impact that our mission has on lives everyday, and we are so grateful to be a part of changing the way society views autism and our autistic peers. This award comes to us on the 13th anniversary of the Exceptional Minds Academy, and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate!

EM Animation Studios is proud to present the Autism Enlightenment Library, the first collection of intellectual property currently in development at the studio! These animated shorts are created by our autistic graduate artists, who share their personal stories to illustrate the wide range of funny, scary, frustrating, sad, and relatable experiences that vary from one autistic individual to the next. Autism affects each person differently, and through these shorts, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the diverse ways autism can manifest. One of the many aspects of creating an animated short is, of course, voiceover recording! Artists Jacob Lenard, Ryan Oldis, (instructor) Alyssa Maxwell Zelman, and Guest Animation Supervisor/director Chris Bailey headed to Dan Lenard’s The Voice Over Body Shop to record the voiceovers for Jacob’s project, Too Many Options. This story offers viewers a relatable ‘aha’ moment to empathize with the main character’s struggles.  We’re excited to show you the final project (in a few months!) and share more behind the scenes content on creating an animated short, from conception to completion.