Taking advantage of his life-long experience as a director, Rudolf has developed a second skill: the writing of film scripts. Working with strong writers has taught him the craft. "Especially the lessons of Irish playwright David Rudkin have always stayed with me: Dramatize, dramatize, dramatize". In American jargon: Show don't tell.
"The most important thing is to not explain everything, but to let character and situation speak for themselves. Drag people along in a character they can identify with. By solving the riddles of a story (like in Life itself) the viewer will feel part of the conspiracy and leave the show with a triumphant feeling."
"When developing a screenplay I think in images and, mainly, in situations. I have learnt a lot about dramaturgy in the editing-room. Editors taught me to watch my scenes coldly. What counts is not what meaning we have put into the images, but what the shots tell us. It all comes down to telling a story economically and of course to keep surprising the viewer. I've learned what to leave out in a script and how to approach difficult themes without being explicit and without moralizing. Dramatize. Dramatize."
"And dialogues? The characters whisper them in my ear. I have met them all. They were the friends, enemies, lovers, parents and daughters who kept me company over the years."