As a Xth grader, when Aris Athanasopoulos burnt his eyebrows during an experiment, he accepted that science was not his calling. However, just the idea of delivering a one-line dialogue as a seven-year-old, in a school play, got him excited. Pursuing that passion, the Canadian went on to do many other plays in college before working with the theatre group, Shakespeare in Action. But his tryst with science did not end with that experiment — as he now plays presenter for the science-based tele series Made By Destruction, a show using the destruction of different objects to create something absolutely new for use.
While most people would usually find the method behind recycling drab and technical, through the show, the actor takes the opportunity to deconstruct the science for all enthusiasts in the simplest form and yet keep them interested. Viewers get to see the process of recycling of materials that they previously thought to be garbage, being converted into something unique. From discarded skateboards to abandoned cars, and even old office equipment — everything is salvaged, shredded, melted, and chopped to create useful and valuable everyday objects. “The idea to educate viewers about recycling for the environment and entertain them at the same time with the possibility of knowing the objects that can be created from recycled materials is what got me excited for the show,” shares Aris.
Narrating is comparatively new territory for Aris, as he started out with theatre and transitioned into film and television at 22 before moving on to short filmmaking by starting Good Night Porter Pictures. Aris tells us how the main challenge in presenting is getting the right pronunciation of technical terminology while also remembering the names of companies, countries and cities correctly. “However presenting is very much like acting on stage, because you are talking directly to the audience,” he says, adding that doing the voiceover segments which deals with gigantic amount of detail and talking science comes easy for him thanks to his acting background.
What is on his wish list? If there is one show he would like to present, it is Planet Earth, which is currently narrated by Sir David Attenborough. As theatre has always been first love, he lets on that he is in talks to turn his speeches from the Bard’s scripts into potential contemporary short films, but that is for later.
Made by Destruction airs Monday to Friday at 9 pm on Sony BBC Earth.