Workshop teaches anime design and animation to individuals with ASD

With funding support from the Michigan Department of Community Health, Oakland University’s Center for Autism (OUCARES) will offer an Anime Design and Animation workshop for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Participants will learn how to draw and animate characters using basic shapes and also work with design and animation software currently used in the advertising, film design and television industries. Originating in Japan, anime is a popular art form that can be found in many productions around the world.  

The program is open to individuals with ASD, age 13 and older. The program will run Mondays and Wednesdays, from April 23 through June 11, and will take place from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at OUCARES Meadows School, 1435 West Auburn Road in Rochester.

The program will be led by Stefan Kogler, producer and host of “Ready, Set Go - All Things Autism” on WJR 760 AM. With more than 20 years of experience in advertising and marketing, Kogler has developed award-winning campaigns for Chevy, the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Navy.

“We are so happy to begin offering ‘employable skills’ programs,” said Kathy Sweeney, director of OUCARES. “Stefan Kogler is a wonderful addition to our staff with his years of experience in the field of advertising and marketing and his knowledge about the unlocked potential for someone on the autism spectrum.  We are providing the chance to learn technical skills for someone on the spectrum that will be able to develop these skills to gain employment in the future.”

The cost for the program is $200, with scholarships available up to $100. The registration deadline is Friday, April 18. Sign up at the registration page.

For more information on OUCARES, including ways to support its mission to improve the lives of individuals with autism and help meet the needs of their families, visit oakland.edu/oucares.