Jon Macht

Jon Macht (born March 21, 1960 in Hagerstown, Maryland) is an American former sports journalist, radio journalist, and television journalist who turned to filmmaking in 1982.

Background
Macht was born to Stanley and Naomi Macht, a radiologist and housewife, respectively. He attended North Hagerstown High School, graduating in 1978, and went on to attend both the University of Virginia where he graduated in 1982 with a degree in communications and the University of Southern CaliforniaGraduate School of Cinema-Television from 1982-1985.

Sports journalism
While attending the University of Virginia in 1979, Macht became a sports journalist for The Washington Post, and while working for the Post also became a television journalist for WJLA-TV. In 1980s, he became a video sports journalist for NBC affiliate WVIR-TV in Charlottesville, Virginia. Sports director Tim Brant of WJLA, advised Macht to gain experience in radio journalism, and introduced him to news director Len Deibert of WMAL radio, and Macht subsequently worked a summer at WMAL as a news and sports writer. Deibert offered Macht an opportunity to write and produce a radio documentary series about The Washington Redskins. After successful airing of a series called Redskins Legends, Macht was asked to do a second series, Greatest Moments in Redskins Football History.

In a later meeting, Macht was introduced to Associated Press radio sportscaster Jack Doniger and became a freelance network sports reporter, first creating radio stories for Associated Press, and later for ABC, NBC, CBS and others. While still in college in 1981, he also worked for WXAM radio. Macht graduated from the University of Virginia in 1982, and applied to University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts to learn film and television production, but was initially rejected. In July 1982, Macht moved to Los Angeles, and signed up for USC Extension courses in screenwriting. When he reapplied to USC, he was accepted.

Filmmaking
He worked as an assistant to the producer on the film Native Son, as an animation camera operator on Masters of the Universe and as visual effects editor on Stand By Me, An American Tail, Rambo III, and Distant Thunder. He began his career as a sportswriter for newspapers including The Washington Post.