Second-year Drama Scholar Kieran Rogendra has had an exciting few weeks. Not only does Kieran have a busy schedule with school, he also works professionally as an actor and presenter. Recently, he has been working with children’s channel Nickelodeon (or Nick) on an exciting series leading up to his 2024 Paris Paralympic Games this summer.
Kieran explains: “I’ve worked with Nickelodeon several times before, and last summer I spent a week filming as a co-host on Nick’s Guide to…The most recent shoot I’ve done. is for SpongeBob’s 25th Anniversary Project.GB Paralympic Team.
“I am one of the few presenters to interview Paralympians and experience parasport. Most of these shoots include traveling to the training sites of the Great Britain team, filming introductions with my co-presenters, and giving Paralympians a chance to experience Parasport. This includes interviews, spending time with them, and having them teach you the sport and techniques.
“I can’t reveal the athlete’s name until the program is announced, but my favorite interview was with a para swimmer. She was really fun and gave me some tips to improve my swimming. Filming took place in the pool all day, so it was very interesting to see how the film crew was filming underwater and above us with a crane.
“I have had the great pleasure of meeting such determined Paralympic athletes. Their journeys inspire me so much. She talked about how everyone told her she couldn’t do archery because of her disability (short). Many people told her she couldn’t do it, but she figured out how to hold the bow and She became the first person to try archery. She is also passionate about encouraging other people with disabilities to try archery.”
It sounds like a great experience, but are there any downsides to the job? Kieran says: “The only difficult part of filming was the early morning start and the long journeys to the filming locations all over the country. However, the experience was definitely worth it.”
We can’t wait to see Kieran in action when his interview airs on Nickelodeon ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, which run from August 28th to September 8th.
Kieran said: “Look out for the colorful surprise at the end of the archery shoot!”