Autism In Entertainment Spectrum Spotlight - Dani Bowman - Animator/Educator

The Autism In Entertainment (AIE) Conference was a one-day, in-person event that was held on Friday, April 5, 2024, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. This conference is helping to create a bridge to employment for individuals on the autism spectrum who are interested in entertainment-related fields, including film, television, production, animation, and game design. The conference included six Spotlight Videos featuring individuals with autism who are achieving success in the Entertainment Industry. This Spotlight Video features Dan Bowman, Animator and Educator.
About Dani Bowman
Dani Bowman-who is on the autism spectrum founded her company, DaniMation Entertainment, at age 14 in 2009 and launched DaniMation UK in 2019. She graduated with a BFA in Animation in 2018 and an MBA in Global Strategy and Leadership in 2020. Dani has premiered 14 animated short films, a PSA, and a music at San Diego Comic Con.
Over the next 14 years, Dani has led summer animation camps and around the country, initially with Joey Travolta's Inclusion Films, and then expanding out on her own, adding programs at the University of South Florida, Plymouth University and Brunel University London in England, teaching over 2500 youth with autism and other different abilities. In 2020, Dani pivoted to teaching animation from in-person to online with 1-Week Animation Workshops and One-on-One classes.
In addition to teaching animation, Dani works with her students as a role model and mentor, encouraging them to follow their dreams. In 2021, Dani and her team participated in the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, where she won for “Best Editor” with her film “The Home Office”.
Dani is currently working on getting a Ph.D with a thesis on how much impact her program has had in the autism community.
About the Crew
This video was co-directed, shot and edited by Julian Grajczak, a graduate from the CalState University Northridge Department of Cinema and Television Arts, who also is neurodivergent. It was produced and co-directed by Paul Hemstreet, an award-winning independent producer, director, and editor, who pioneered and led Warner Brother’s content creation team for Home Entertainment and all Film and TV releases on disc and digital for over two decades. He is a proud father of two neurodivergent adult twin children, one of them an animator.
About the Autism In Entertainment Conference
The Autism In Entertainment (AIE) Conference was a one-day, in-person event that was held on Friday, April 5, 2024, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The conference is helping create a bridge to employment for individuals on the autism spectrum who are interested in entertainment-related fields, including film, television, production, animation, and game design. This conference was hosted by the Orange County Asperger’s Support Group (OCASG) working with the Autism In Entertainment Workgroup with support from Zavikon. Zavikon is an employment agency whose mission is to place neurodivergent individuals, as well as those with disabilities, in career-oriented meaningful jobs. Zavikon uses a supported placement model to set both employer and employee up for success. The conference is funded by a Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Grant designed to help Regional Center consumers find employment. For more information about DDS, visit www.dds.ca.gov.

[@Mike-fo2uh]

She needs her own show.. she’s hella funny and smart as hell

[@Lorddurango]

She's a turd

[@madiArabella]

Agreed

[@Lorddurango]

She might be one of the most annoying human beings on earth. There's absolutely no depth with her. Two things are clear with her though. She only likes animation, and she wants to have sex.

[@Mike-fo2uh]

@@Lorddurango lol damn why are you hating so much. let her be free.

[@ajwtf6539]

​@@Lorddurangothis message says more about you than her

[@RankkaApina]

Love on the Spectrum has become our favorite show. But I love to see Dani in her environment doing the stuff she does well.

[@StarbirdKachina]

You made me cry with your passion! ❤

[@marlenesharp3515]

Thanks for everything that you do for Autism in Entertainment, Dani! It is a pleasure to collaborate!

[@vickie30]

I just love Dani..She is so smart..beautiful... and I hope she finds someone who love anime as much as she does

[@timothywalker4563]

Stop motion photography, that’s cool, wow you have come quite a long way since then😊

[@tastedeez8]

Dani you are amazing. I agree, I know I wouldn’t be able to accomplish what I’ve done without my autism. you are encouraging a force to be reckoned with.

[@Lorddurango]

She's a loser

[@ltisenotem]

​@@LorddurangoDani, there will always be sad losers like this person who try to bring you down. Remember there is zero chance they have acheived much at all i their life. Successful and kind people don't do what this sad person is trying to do to you. They are hopeless, while you are not 😁

[@Lorddurango]

@@ltisenotem that's why I have a Ferrari in my garage? I'm allowed to talk sht on KZbin bud. Whether you like it or not 😂

[@ltisenotem]

@@Lorddurango I didn't even say you're not allowed to bully mentally challenged people? I don't care how sad you are

[@ltisenotem]

@@Lorddurango I doubt you're old enough to drive, but if you are that's even sadder 😂

[@Argeaux2]

Amazing Dani. It sounds like a lot of work, but also work that you’re enjoy.

[@artisticalex1206]

I won’t lie as a fellow autistic person myself, when it comes to Dani, in season 1 of Love On The Spectrum I didn’t care about her at all, but once season 2 hit and once she got with Adan, I started to like her a little more. I will agree she definitely had unrealistic expectations in relationships in the beginning.

[@FixiesNDucks]

Wonderful values! Keep up the good work!

[@noragalligan9421]

Thank you Dani!

[@1964thom]

You are so cool. And beautiful, keep it up.

[@vickie30]

I love that she wants someone with a job😅

[@sarahpalmer411]

Excellent advice!

[@goofballbiscuits3647]

I found Dani to be slightly narcissistic in her episodes. She seemed to be completely shallow and treated her dates so poorly.

[@saramations]

My husband and I noticed this, too.

[@miriam4235]

She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to say it. I'd say that much kinder than leading people on.

[@ihavenoname727]

Well, she’s an autistic woman. She pushed everyone out because they weren’t her work. It sounds irrational, but it makes sense to me.

[@milchbrotchen2930]

Dont know.. i had her level of animation when i was 14 .. she speak really high about her animations but they arent that good tbh she should start from scratch and learn😅

[@Todaymma]

……… she has fuckin autism bro lol chill e

[@saramations]

I agree, but I suppose the important part is that shes working with special needs students. 😅

[@nintendoLove777]

U jelly?

[@Lorddurango]

Became extremely unlikable end of season 2. Sorry i said it. You can dislike an austist.

[@milchbrotchen2930]

I agree

[@ltisenotem]

Thankfully I don't harshly judge people on their screen appearance. Especially people on the spectrum who are learning

[@Lorddurango]

@@ltisenotem well aren't you just the best person on earth?!? 😂😂😂 Wanna fkn cookie?

[@saramations]

I haven’t finish season 2 yet but she was definitely getting worse.

[@AsDfGh6781]

I feel that she really wants ppl just to be the same like her and if they aren't then she doesn't want anything to do with them. Adon was the only one who actually was into animation. That's her number priority is animation so either u have your own company or whatever she doesn't want anything to do with you. I find her so picky when it comes to actually finding her husband cuz in the end Noone is perfect so she has to accept that and realize it or she will be single forever.

[@LarryBBM1998]

Dani’s so hot ❤