Tom Fontana
Tom Fontana
Tom Fontanais an American writer and producer...
ProfessionScreenwriter
Date of Birth12 September 1951
censor found ruling
I said no. I told him I found the ruling incomprehensible. He said the censor would do the edit.
age age-and-aging consider drama early few golden inspired looks mid shows television three top year
I was very inspired by what now looks like a golden age of television drama in the early to mid '90s--the first year of 'N.Y.P.D. Blue,' first few years of 'X-Files,' and 'Homicide,' which I consider one of the top three television shows ever created, ... OZ.
character eight next pieces writers
I'd write one character's story for all eight episodes, then the next character, while one of the other writers may be working on pieces of another character's story.
aspects course crime felt guy kick reveal series showing stereotype
I'd do the crime flashbacks when I felt it was important to kick that character's story up, ... A lot of times what I wanted to do was to say, 'This is who you think this guy is, the stereotype that you have of him,' by showing the crime, and over the course of the series reveal other aspects of him.
college truth
We wanted to tell the truth about what it is like to go to college in 2006.
conversation cover discuss episode informed maybe parent parents public service spark
There is nothing in this show that a caring, informed parent would not want to discuss with their child. This is not a public service announcement. But who knows, it may spark a conversation that the parents should be having. Maybe they won't want to have the conversation. There isn't anything in any episode that I would say to the parents of teenagers, cover your eyes.
certainly goal grown reporter stay
My goal is to stay here. I've certainly grown as a reporter on TV. I have more confidence.
date people
People don't date anymore. It is like a prehistoric notion.
dealing nature pitch
We did not go in and pitch a show about accounting. And so the nature of the show is, we're dealing with sexuality.
final hope lead
I hope I have the lead story on the final day.
came head point remember top
I made it up off the top of my head, ... At this point I can't even remember why I came up with that term. It just popped into my head one day and made me laugh.
great known refreshing ugliest
I'm usually known for having the ugliest casts, so it's been kind of refreshing to go, 'OK, hey, look, she's great looking.' That's great.
writing tubas orchestra
I don't want somebody who writes like me [in my writing staff]. Because I can write like me. I know what I'm capable of and what my limitations are. If you're going to build an orchestra, you don't want all tubas - you want a violin and you want a cello and you want a drum set.
believe greatness names
I believe [in God], and then there are times when I don't, because the nature of the universe tells me that I'm a fool to believe in something greater than myself. And then there are times when I'm absolutely in awe of the greatness of God, or whatever name you want to attach to whatever it is that's controlling our lives.