Rohil Aniruth

When Rohil moved to New York from Cape Town, South Africa, his new city seemed “larger-than-life”—the perfect place to make big-budget action movies at a traditional film school. Then he saw that students at Parsons were taking traditional narratives and turning them into video games and VR, creating ways for the “audience to feel like they’re uncovering the story themselves.” And, the Parsons students were using new media to tell stories that mattered.

Rohil’s imagination churned. He enrolled at Parsons and now creates work that pushes him out of his comfort zone—like a project that brought together set design, film and immersive technology, and a life-sized robot; or a video game in which the player battles hordes of demonic fast food that stand in the way of getting healthy creativity that unites fun and substance.

At Parsons, Rohil no longer feels constricted by media, and instead finds opportunity in the collaborative interplay of programs throughout The New School. For one project, he enlisted members of the university’s media studies program to record zany voiceovers for his game to add more thrilling dimensions. More than anything, Parsons encourages Rohil to experiment, to make mistakes, and keep going. “At Parsons, you’re provided with a structure but you’re also encouraged to challenge it,” Rohil says. “It makes you a fearless creative force.” He is learning to create with intent, emphasize inclusivity and diverse perspectives, and reflect deeply on the impact of creativity; or as he puts it, to ask, “What impact does this have on the world?”