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2 April 12

Copper, from BBC America and Cineflix Studios, debuts August 19 at 9 p.m.

read the article on EW.com

26 March 12

'Borgia' Gets Second Season Order

The papal period drama will start shooting in Prague and Italy and reach the U.S. and U.K. via Netflix.

PARIS - Lagardere, EOS,  ZDF, ORF and Canal Plus will join forces again for the second season
of Tom Fontana’s period drama Borgia. The next twelve episodes of the series will shoot in Prague and Italy through November.   read the article here

5 March 12

Video Interview: Tom Fontana interviewed by Richard Belzer

21 February 12

BORGIA DVD is now available. Here is a link on Amazon

"Faith and Fear" comes from writer-producer Tom Fontana, acclaimed for his work on "Homicide: Life on the Street," "Oz" and "St. Elsewhere." He is also at work on projects for BBC America ("Copper," about an Irish policeman in 19th-century New York City) and A&E ("The Box," a drama about police interrogations) but not for the broadcast networks he has so often served.

"I'll tell you the God's honest truth," he said, "the networks don't seem to want to make shows that are outside their comfort zone. But I want to make shows that are outside my comfort zone, so I have gone all over the world in search of people that are willing to take a bigger risk than the networks will."

He was invited to work on "Faith and Fear," an international co-production, but added: "I love history and the popes have been something I've been fascinated with my whole life, being a Catholic. ... It's been a great ride so far. We're working on scripts for the second season. We're going to shoot in Prague and in Rome this year, so it's cool."

But what about that other series, from writer-director Neil Jordan ("The Crying Game")?

"Initially, Showtime had wanted us to combine the two productions," Fontana said. "I flew to Dublin to meet with Neil Jordan. We had a perfectly lovely dinner but we realized at this dinner that we wanted to make two completely different versions of this story. From that point on, I just decided to pretend that the other one doesn't exist. So I haven't watched it, I haven't read anything about it. ... It's like when I was doing 'Homicide' and 'NYPD Blue' came on the air. I didn't want to watch 'NYPD Blue' - not because I didn't respect (writer-producer) David Milch, but because I didn't want to be influenced by what he was doing on his show."

As for "Faith and Fear," Fontana said: "What I wanted to bring to the program was two keys.

"One was that, if you take faith out of the Catholic Church for a second, what you are left with is the Vatican, Inc. You're left with the brand, and what the brand sells is salvation. Much better than selling Chevys, it's selling salvation. People want to be saved for eternity a lot more than they want a new car. So on one element we're examining the Vatican not as a religion but as a corporation. ...

Read more here:

17 January 12

7 December 11

A&E Network has teamed with Homicide alums Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson for The Box, a half-hour cop drama that takes place largely within the walls of the interrogation room. The cable network has ordered two scripts from the project, which will be written by Fontana.

   Read more about it here and here

25 October 11

In September Tom conducted a master class as part of the Roma Fiction fest. The folks at
lascreeningroom.net have posted several clips from the event.

On Writing        part 1    part 2

On "Borgia"      part 1    part 2    part 3

On "OZ"           part 1    part 2

11 October 11

Tom Fontana’s ‘Borgia’ a Ratings Hit in France, Italy

First episode of papal drama starring John Doman draws a record 1.7 million viewers on Canal +.

COLOGNE, Germany – Tom Fontana’s papal period drama Borgia has converted unbelievers in Italy and killed them in France. The series, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall) and starring John Dorman (The Wire), debuted to an audience of 1.7 million on Canal +, a record for the French pay TV network. On Sky Italia, where Borgia debuted with a two-episode teaser this summer, the series nearly doubled its audience over its 12-episode run. 420,000 watched the series finale last Friday. Netflix has picked up North American rights to Borgia and will bow the show via its online service later this month.

Read the article here.

3 October 11

Netflix Takes North American Rights to Tom Fontana's 'Borgia'

14 September 11

Tom Fontana Elected Humanitas President
Read the story on Variety and Deadline Hollywood

8 September 11

3 September 11

Tom recently conducted a masterclass as part of the FESTIVAL DU CINEMA AMÉRICAIN DE DEAUVILLE.



 

28 July 11

BBC AMERICA ORDERS FIRST ORIGINAL SCRIPTED SERIES FOR SUMMER 2012

Jul 28, 2011 | BBC America

Channel announces COPPER - A Cineflix Studios production, in association with Levinson/Fontana

New York – In its most significant original programming commitment to date, BBC AMERICA has announced its first original scripted drama series, Copper.  The 10 episode series, which centers on a young Irish cop operating in the immigrant communities of 19th century New York, is co-created by Tom Fontana (OZ,Homicide: Life on the Street, St. Elsewhere) and Will Rokos (Monster’s Ball, Southland).  The executive producers include Fontana, Rokos, Barry Levinson (Good Morning, Vietnam, Rain Man, You Don't Know Jack) and Christina Wayne (Broken Trail and executive in charge of Mad Men at AMC) of Cineflix Studios.

Copper is set in the Five Points Irish neighborhood of New York City in the 1860’s.  The series focuses on a rugged young Irish cop who has to navigate the unruly and sometimes violent currents of his immigrant neighborhood, while simultaneously interacting with uptown Manhattan high society and the emerging black community in Harlem. 

Copper will commence production in the fall of 2011 in Toronto and premiere on BBC AMERICA in Summer 2012.

Perry Simon, General Manager, BBC AMERICA says: “Copper is a great fit for BBC AMERICA, capturing the early American multicultural experience in provocative, ground-breaking fashion.  In the spirit of great BBC drama it’s brimming with fascinating and complex characters giving us the opportunity to cast the best actors from both sides of the Atlantic. I’m delighted to be working with Tom and Barry again, together with Will, Christina and the talented team at Cineflix Studios.  We could not be in better hands for BBC AMERICA’s first dramatic series”.

“BBC AMERICA is the ideal home for Copper in the U.S.,” said Glen Salzman, CEO, Cineflix.  “Cineflix Studios has put together an amazing team for this series, some of the best in the business, who will produce compelling television with widespread international appeal. We look forward to starting production in a few months and continuing to ramp up our scripted programming slate.”

See the press release on line here:

Canal+ has a half hour feature on "Borgia". You can see it here.

For more on Tom's new series, look Here and Here.

Click on the image to see an  interview with Tom on  Canal+




Pictures from the set of "Borgia" in Prague

Tom with John Doman who plays RodrigueBorgia

   

Cardinals waiting for their cue

You can see more pictures from the set of "Borgia" in Prague, here

1 July 10

Tom Fontana speaks at a  symposium in Germany
View the video here or the MP3 audio here

8 April 10

Click on the image or here for details.

5 April 10

Tom Fontana Adapts And Directs 

THE NOTORIOUS LADY SUSAN

read more at  BroadwayWorld.com

27 March 10

Is Homicide: Life On The Street better than The Wire?

  The cast of Homicide. Photograph: Rex

Jim Shelley
The Guardian  Saturday 27 March 2010

The best cop show of recent times – one of the most innovative and influential dramas of all time – was set not in New York, Miami or LA, but in Baltimore. It featured a squad of embattled, super (street) smart, sardonic detectives fighting against the drug dealing and killing blitzing their beloved city.

read the article: Guardian.co.uk

1 November 09

TOM FONTANA INTERVIEW

In his Archive interview, Tom Fontana talks about his work as an Emmy Award-winning writer of St. Elsewhere , as well as the writer/producer of such series as Homicide: Life on the Street  and Oz .  Tom Fontana was interviewed in New York, NY on June 30, 2009; Karen Herman conducted the three-hour interview.

you can find the interview here

19 October 09

THE MIPCOM INTERVIEWS: C21TV catches up with Chris Albrecht, former chairman and CEO of HBO, and veteran US showrunner Tom Fontana. The two are collaborating on pan-European copro Borgias, chronicling the rise to power of the ruthless Spanish clan who held sway over the Vatican during the Renaissance.

you can see the video here or the podcast here

15 October 09

Details and invitations here

12 October 09

Turning Swords to Pens, and Warriors to Writers

The meetings grew from an effort by guild writers to get in touch with what Tom Fontana, president of the foundation, likes to call “America’s stories.” The plan is to train those who wish to write — with no vetting for talent or professional ambition — in settings far from the entertainment corridors of New York and Los Angeles.

read the article here (registration required)

10 October 09

The Free Speech Leadership Summit

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 6:30-8:30pm
The Paley Center for Media, Chairman’s Suite

The Writers Guild of America, East Foundation, PEN, and The Creative Coalition are joining with The Writers Guild of America, East, The Dramatists Guild, and The Authors Guild to engage in a conversation about Free Speech in an age of rapidly changing technologies.

More details here

1 October 09

HURRAY FOR POLIWOOD!

SHOWTIME® TO PREMIERE PROVOCATIVE DOCUMENTARY

FROM ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER BARRY LEVINSON ABOUT

THE COLLISION AND COLLUSION BETWEEN POLITICS,

HOLLYWOOD AND THE MEDIA

LOS ANGELES, CA – (October 1, 2009) – As America works its way through one of the most intense and contentious political periods in its history, Showtime Networks will premiere the new feature-length documentary, POLIWOOD, an in-depth and provocative look into the often convergent worlds for entertainment and politics directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson. The 90-minute documentary will premiere on SHOWTIME Tuesday, November 2nd at 7:30 PM ET/PT.

Legendary Academy Award®-winning director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, Diner, Avalon) sets out to explore the collision and collusion between politics and Hollywood. The film gives the viewer a front-row seat and backroom access to the most significant presidential campaign of the 21st century. Featuring interviews with high-profile celebrities and powerful political figures, POLIWOOD gives insider access to the influence Hollywood has over today’s political process as we discover the thin line between politician and actor, news and entertainment, policy and tabloid. Trailing a number of politically active actors, writers, directors, and musicians, this documentary is sure to spark debate about the role media and celebrities should have in modern-day politics.

The celebrities featured in POLIWOOD include Annette Bening, Anne Hathaway, Sting, Susan Sarandon, Spike Lee, Fergie, Zooey Deschanel, Danny Glover, Tim Daly, Ellen Burstyn, Kerry Washington, Elvis Costello, Alfre Woodard, Angela Bassett, Billy Baldwin, Charlie Daniels, Connie Britton, Dana Delany, David Crosby, Hayden Panettiere, Josh Lucas, Matthew Modine, Maura Tierney, Alan Cumming, Mos Def, Rachael Leigh Cook, Richard Schiff, Steve Earle, The Pharcyde, Tony Goldwyn, and Will.i.am.

POLIWOOD

was produced in coordination with The Creative Coalition Baltimore Pictures and Screen Media Films; and by Robin Bronk, Robert Baruc, Tim Daly and Jason Sosnoff.

7 August 09

In July 2009, the Hudson Institute hosted a debate over the relevancy of the NBC drama The Philanthropists. The panel included Tom Fontana, creator of The Philanthropist, Ian Wilhelm, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Steve Gunderson, Council on Foundations, Sean Stannard-Stockton, Tactical Philanthropy, and William Schambra, Hudson Institute.

Click here for video of the debate.

2 June 09

A Conversation With Tom Fontana

Max Robins interviews Emmy-winning TV veteran Tom Fontana, writer and producer of St. Elsewhere, Homicide, Oz, and now, The Philanthropist.

Download Podcast   |   More from Max Media

28 May 09

'Oz,' 'Deadwood' join DirecTV

DirecTV's 101 Network has acquired uncensored, off-net runs of gritty HBO dramas "Deadwood" and "Oz."

Pickup reps the first time either show has been run on TV outside of HBO. DirecTV will begin airing both shows on Sunday nights staring May 31. "Deadwood" and "Oz" also will be offered via DirecTV's on-demand service.

4 May 09

The Veterans Writing Project Encourages Veterans to Put Their Thoughts, Feelings, and Experiences into Written Words

...The workshop is a way for professional writers to serve those who have in their turn served all of us by offering their time and services on a volunteer basis. The writers coming to San Antonio in June include writers such as Tom Fontana (Oz, St. Elsewhere), Tony Kushner (Pulitzer Prize Winner, Angels in America) and U.S. veteran, John Patrick Shanley (Academy Award Winner for Moonstruck and Pulitzer Prize Winner for Doubt).

read the article on Milblogging.com

9 April 09