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Hagerstown native Jon Macht started his career in newspapers before going to TV, radio and eventually film. (Submitted photo / January 25, 2013) |
Brant offered some more advice: Get some experience in radio.
Tuning into radio
Macht was introduced by Brant to Len Deibert, news director at WMAL radio in Washington, D.C. That summer, Macht worked for WMAL as a news and sports writer.
Deibert offered Macht an opportunity to write and to produce a radio documentary sports series on The Washington Redskins for ABC radio. Broadcast veteran Johnny Holliday and former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sonny Jurgensen would do the voiceover work on the show.
"I talked to and interviewed all these Washington football great players — legends. And the ones I couldn't meet in person, we arranged interviews in the studio and the engineers recorded my interviews in the studio. I researched and wrote about these 15 football legends careers, and I wrote this little two minute, three-minute documentary per player."
The series was called "Redskins Legends." Macht was asked to do a second series, "Greatest Moments in Redskins Football History."
"I just had the best time," he said.
It was a meeting at a Washington Capitals game where Macht was exposed to a bigger market. Trilling asked him to go out to the game, there he introduced Macht to Jack Doniger, a sportscaster for Associated Press radio. Macht was also introduced to a freelance network sports reporter for ABC radio, who looking for someone to take over his job and was willing to supply contacts.
Macht said yes and learned how to work in freelance network sports writer in that one night — teaching him how to time a story and what equipment he would need.
His first radio stories were for Associated Press radio. Eventually, Macht was broadcasting for ABC, NBC, CBS and others.
In 1981, while still in college, Macht worked for WXAM radio in Virginia, which gained him even more experience.
Macht said throughout his college experience, "I kind of went with the through. I said 'Yes,' 'Yes' Yes' to anyone who would give me an opportunity," he said.
Hollywood or bust
By the time Macht was ready to graduate from U of Va., in 1982, Macht said he had opportunities to stay on with The Post and also with a little start-up news company called CNN.
While at college he had become interested in ram.
Drama was where everything had finally come together — his love of writing, his knowledge of diction and projection from radio and his experience in the visual aspects of a story from TV.
"I was making video and started doing it for dramatic purposes — not news or sports," he said. "And I really, really love it. As much as I really loved sports and news, I thought it would be so cool to do dramatic material."
Although his offers could have kept him in the journalism field, Macht's love of film was stronger. He applied to graduate school at University of Southern California for film and television production.
"I applied and I did not get accepted the first time I applied," he said. "And I decided that despite the fact that I didn't get in, it wasn't going to stop me from following my new dream."
So in July of 1982, Macht loaded up his Mazda RX7 and headed for California. He arrived in Los Angeles, found an apartment between MGM and 20th Century Fox studios and set out to fulfill his dream.
Tuning into radio
Macht was introduced by Brant to Len Deibert, news director at WMAL radio in Washington, D.C. That summer, Macht worked for WMAL as a news and sports writer.
Deibert offered Macht an opportunity to write and to produce a radio documentary sports series on The Washington Redskins for ABC radio. Broadcast veteran Johnny Holliday and former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sonny Jurgensen would do the voiceover work on the show.
"I talked to and interviewed all these Washington football great players — legends. And the ones I couldn't meet in person, we arranged interviews in the studio and the engineers recorded my interviews in the studio. I researched and wrote about these 15 football legends careers, and I wrote this little two minute, three-minute documentary per player."
The series was called "Redskins Legends." Macht was asked to do a second series, "Greatest Moments in Redskins Football History."
"I just had the best time," he said.
It was a meeting at a Washington Capitals game where Macht was exposed to a bigger market. Trilling asked him to go out to the game, there he introduced Macht to Jack Doniger, a sportscaster for Associated Press radio. Macht was also introduced to a freelance network sports reporter for ABC radio, who looking for someone to take over his job and was willing to supply contacts.
Macht said yes and learned how to work in freelance network sports writer in that one night — teaching him how to time a story and what equipment he would need.
His first radio stories were for Associated Press radio. Eventually, Macht was broadcasting for ABC, NBC, CBS and others.
In 1981, while still in college, Macht worked for WXAM radio in Virginia, which gained him even more experience.
Macht said throughout his college experience, "I kind of went with the through. I said 'Yes,' 'Yes' Yes' to anyone who would give me an opportunity," he said.
Hollywood or bust
By the time Macht was ready to graduate from U of Va., in 1982, Macht said he had opportunities to stay on with The Post and also with a little start-up news company called CNN.
While at college he had become interested in ram.
Drama was where everything had finally come together — his love of writing, his knowledge of diction and projection from radio and his experience in the visual aspects of a story from TV.
"I was making video and started doing it for dramatic purposes — not news or sports," he said. "And I really, really love it. As much as I really loved sports and news, I thought it would be so cool to do dramatic material."
Although his offers could have kept him in the journalism field, Macht's love of film was stronger. He applied to graduate school at University of Southern California for film and television production.
"I applied and I did not get accepted the first time I applied," he said. "And I decided that despite the fact that I didn't get in, it wasn't going to stop me from following my new dream."
So in July of 1982, Macht loaded up his Mazda RX7 and headed for California. He arrived in Los Angeles, found an apartment between MGM and 20th Century Fox studios and set out to fulfill his dream.
