Watch ‘Fighting With Autism’: Highlights From Jorge Gutierrez’s Spec Labs Talk To Young Neurodivergent Artists

Last month, ahead of a Comic-Con appearance to screen highlights from his Spectrum Laboratory talk, Fighting With Autism, Jorge Gutiérrez (Maya and the Three, The Book of Life) spoke with us about how living and working with twice-exceptional (2e) and ADHD has made him a better artist. Now, Spc Labs has released the 3-minute video online to inspire and support artists around the world.

The talk was originally given at the Victory Theater in Burbank to members of the Spectrum Laboratory community, young neurodivergent artists working in performance and visual media.

In the video, Gutierrez shares stories from his life and career, touching on how his passion for drawing and support from family helped shape his path. “Everybody in the family would say, ‘He’s a little… weird. And he really likes to draw,’” he recalls. “That’s when I realized I might be different than other kids.”

The clip includes a memory from Gutierrez’s years at CalArts, when Jules Engel, founder of the school’s experimental animation program, noticed his unique perspective. After dismissing nearly all of Gutierrez’s portfolio, one drawing caught Engel’s eye. “He goes, ‘You’re an artist. That is your voice… I like how you see the world,’” Gutierrez recalls. That advice — finding your voice and sticking with it — has carried Gutierrez through the ups and downs of his career, and it’s a message he hopes will inspire other artists.

The video was part of the larger “Autism in Entertainment” panel held at Comic-Con International in San Diego last month. The panel featured Gutierrez alongside producers Paul Hemstreet, Judi Uttal, Marlene Sharp, as well as Josh Copelan (camera) and Julian Grajczak (editor).