Rudolph Rajendra
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Born Rudolph Rajendra Tikaram Ramdyal to parents Bejai Lakshmi and Deodat Tikaram Ramdyal.
He performed as an actor in youth in plays and short films which he wrote and directed. In high school he got A grades in sciences, as well as in dramatic arts and film production, for the short plays and films he wrote and directed. He received two standing ovations from his English and Film class after screening his first film Key to the Passage of Time (1983), a short action sci-fi. His film professor Neil Anderson, who studied at UCLA under Joseph Campbell, thought his first film was the best he had ever seen from a student, and was sure he was headed for a career in Hollywood film. His professor Neil Anderson also instilled the use of archetypal themes and patterns in filmmaking, first conceived by Carl Yung and further developed and passed down through Joseph Campbell.
He studied Economics, Psychology, and Film Production at the University of Toronto and then York University. Although he began in the film program he preferred the practicality of a degree in Economics and Psychology . He acquired a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, on the guidance of director editor Edward Dmytryk, and graduated on the Deans Honour Roll.
After two decades working on Hollywood films he has multiple operational certifications in film production, government regulations, safety, supervision, and specialized Hollywood industrial equipment use.
He is an emeritus member of the University of Toronto's Heart House Film Board, and L.I.F.T. (the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers).
He Wrote, Directed, and Edited several short films including Key to the Passage of Time (1983), The Prefect Terminator (1986), Paradise Unfolded (1992), The Accomplice (1993), Musk for Men (1986). He also edited comedy documentaries and skits for the crew Halloween competition on their time off from filming the hit NBC Universal TV show Suits (2011).
As a teenager he practiced chemistry in his mother's garage which he used to manufacture smoke effects that made his eyes water when he tried to operate the camera. He also made squibs simulating bullet impacts, exploding cigarette effects simulating tiny rockets inside, for his short film Key to the Passage of Time (1983).
He won a few science contests as a youngster and entered on various subjects, including electricity, magnets, motors, rocket propulsion, volcanoes, and nuclear energy. One contest which he won involved a cash prize and a write-up in a small local paper featuring him explaining his models and theories on energy savings through housing design and applied science
He has written several Writers Guild Registered Feature Screenplays and TV pilots, for which he has won several Awards at various international festivals. His first unregistered Feature Screenplay was stolen and made into a low budget TV film without him.
Fresh out of University, he worked briefly as a Psychiatric Field Worker. The parents of one of his clients recounted their childhood experiences to him of World War 2 concentration camps and Christian orphanages on land donated by a Maharaja. They gave him exclusive rights to their story and use of their name on which one of his Award Winning Screenplays, The Magic Man, is based.
He is a voting member of the Academy in Canada.
He is also credited as Roger Tikeram on his early short films, Roger Durhanto when he worked as crew, and Rudolph Rajendra Durhanto on some awards he has received.
He has also engaged in securities and derivative investing. He was an early retail investor of Apple Computer after Steve Jobs returned to the company, and participated in voting Al Gore onto the Board of Directors, hoping it would help the small growing company to be more environmentally responsible in its manufacturing processes. He was also a retail investor of Tesla and participated in voting for Elon Musk's record $50 Billion dollar compensation package, which was later reversed by the court due to lack of independence of the board, and inadequate shareholder information. He transitioned away from working as a crew member on Hollywood films, which he considered to be valuable training, in order to focus more on investments.
While studying film in University he desired a one-of-a-kind name for easy recognition, and changed his last name to Durhanto. Dur - meaning 'difficult' in Sanskrit, Han - meaning 'to conquer or overcome', and TO - because he grew up in Toronto. Until recently he was the only person with that name. His conservative Kshatriya grandmother was greatly offended by his name change. To prevent further insult to his grandmother he prefers Rudolph Rajendra or simply Raj, which film crews know him by.
He performed as an actor in youth in plays and short films which he wrote and directed. In high school he got A grades in sciences, as well as in dramatic arts and film production, for the short plays and films he wrote and directed. He received two standing ovations from his English and Film class after screening his first film Key to the Passage of Time (1983), a short action sci-fi. His film professor Neil Anderson, who studied at UCLA under Joseph Campbell, thought his first film was the best he had ever seen from a student, and was sure he was headed for a career in Hollywood film. His professor Neil Anderson also instilled the use of archetypal themes and patterns in filmmaking, first conceived by Carl Yung and further developed and passed down through Joseph Campbell.
He studied Economics, Psychology, and Film Production at the University of Toronto and then York University. Although he began in the film program he preferred the practicality of a degree in Economics and Psychology . He acquired a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, on the guidance of director editor Edward Dmytryk, and graduated on the Deans Honour Roll.
After two decades working on Hollywood films he has multiple operational certifications in film production, government regulations, safety, supervision, and specialized Hollywood industrial equipment use.
He is an emeritus member of the University of Toronto's Heart House Film Board, and L.I.F.T. (the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers).
He Wrote, Directed, and Edited several short films including Key to the Passage of Time (1983), The Prefect Terminator (1986), Paradise Unfolded (1992), The Accomplice (1993), Musk for Men (1986). He also edited comedy documentaries and skits for the crew Halloween competition on their time off from filming the hit NBC Universal TV show Suits (2011).
As a teenager he practiced chemistry in his mother's garage which he used to manufacture smoke effects that made his eyes water when he tried to operate the camera. He also made squibs simulating bullet impacts, exploding cigarette effects simulating tiny rockets inside, for his short film Key to the Passage of Time (1983).
He won a few science contests as a youngster and entered on various subjects, including electricity, magnets, motors, rocket propulsion, volcanoes, and nuclear energy. One contest which he won involved a cash prize and a write-up in a small local paper featuring him explaining his models and theories on energy savings through housing design and applied science
He has written several Writers Guild Registered Feature Screenplays and TV pilots, for which he has won several Awards at various international festivals. His first unregistered Feature Screenplay was stolen and made into a low budget TV film without him.
Fresh out of University, he worked briefly as a Psychiatric Field Worker. The parents of one of his clients recounted their childhood experiences to him of World War 2 concentration camps and Christian orphanages on land donated by a Maharaja. They gave him exclusive rights to their story and use of their name on which one of his Award Winning Screenplays, The Magic Man, is based.
He is a voting member of the Academy in Canada.
He is also credited as Roger Tikeram on his early short films, Roger Durhanto when he worked as crew, and Rudolph Rajendra Durhanto on some awards he has received.
He has also engaged in securities and derivative investing. He was an early retail investor of Apple Computer after Steve Jobs returned to the company, and participated in voting Al Gore onto the Board of Directors, hoping it would help the small growing company to be more environmentally responsible in its manufacturing processes. He was also a retail investor of Tesla and participated in voting for Elon Musk's record $50 Billion dollar compensation package, which was later reversed by the court due to lack of independence of the board, and inadequate shareholder information. He transitioned away from working as a crew member on Hollywood films, which he considered to be valuable training, in order to focus more on investments.
While studying film in University he desired a one-of-a-kind name for easy recognition, and changed his last name to Durhanto. Dur - meaning 'difficult' in Sanskrit, Han - meaning 'to conquer or overcome', and TO - because he grew up in Toronto. Until recently he was the only person with that name. His conservative Kshatriya grandmother was greatly offended by his name change. To prevent further insult to his grandmother he prefers Rudolph Rajendra or simply Raj, which film crews know him by.
