818 Inside the Mind of a Master Storyteller with Tom Fontana

About this episode

Terri Cole interviews Tom Fontana about his storytelling process and character development in television.

How does a 3-time Emmy winner create the most psychologically complex characters in TV history? Join me and the legendary Tom Fontana, showrunner of many series including "Oz" and "Homicide: Life on the Street" as we deconstruct the creative process, storytelling, and the human psyche. In this episode, we dive deep into the "Origin Story" of a master storyteller. Tom shares his unique 3-part framework for building three-dimensional characters and explains why everyone has a story they are dying to tell—if only someone would ask. If you've ever felt "stuck" in your creative journey or want to understand the moral complexity behind groundbreaking dramas like Netflix's Borgia or Saint Elsewhere, this conversation is for you. Read the show notes for today's episode at terricole.com/818

People in this episode

Host: Terri Cole

Guest: Tom Fontana

Topics covered

• storytelling
• creative process
• character development
• psychology
• Emmy winner
• TV series

Keywords

• storytelling
• character development
• Tom Fontana
• Emmy winner
• psychological complexity
• creative journey

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Oz, Homicide: Life on the Street, Borgia, Saint Elsewhere

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