Tell us a little about your job:
So In short I look after all the audio production for the Dan and Maz Radio Show. For example, this week that’s included everything from recording backstage interviews with Sia & The Hilltop Hoods and then editing them, going on a roadtrip around Sydney with the guys and turning the audio we record into a package to playback to our listeners and then creating the daily promos to promote what’s happened on the show or what’s coming up, podcasts and everything else the show might need.
How did you get your start in radio?:
Have to thank the parentals initially for this one! I had a keen interest in live sound mixing, and then at 14, my mum showing me this newspaper ad desperately looking for people to help out at the local community station. My dad and I went along, and that’s when I fell in love with it all. I then did a couple years work experience at a commercial station whilst at school, then landed a gig in Sydney, followed by Perth and now back in Sydney doing their breaky show.
What are some of the challenges you faced to get you where you are today?:
The biggest challenge has been learning that everything comes at a price. On paper having the
opportunity to work for my favourite radio stations in Sydney, at 21, is literally the dream. Behind the scenes though that took an enormous amount of hours spent in a dark studio learning how to produce audio and packing up and moving to the other side of Australia for a year to continue that learning.
There’s also a certain type of pressure that comes with producing live radio, so literally during the week that means work is my only focus, not leaving a lot of room to maintain relationships with the fam and friends or have much of a life outside of work. Not to say this can’t happen, I just haven’t worked out the balance yet ;)
Best thing about being in radio:
Not going to lie, the work perks are great! Meeting celebrities use to be the best thing about being in radio and no doubt spending an afternoon recording Snow Patrol, making small talk with Ed Sheeran about the Beatles or meeting Taylor Swift are all fun moments that I won’t forget. But I quickly realised that these are just regular humans with a particular talent and that there were some incredible people in my everyday life that probs deserve way more credit for what they contribute each and every day. It’s valuable lessons like that, learnt in the last four years, that honestly is the best part about being in Radio
What would be your dream job/show to work on?:
The vision was always to produce the breakfast show for 2dayfm. When I achieved that last year, I flipped out and thought what’s next? Where to from here, do I move overseas, do I leave radio and do something else? A big part of that comes from my restless nature, always wanting to move on to bigger and better things, and the other part comes from the instant generation that we live in where if we’re not achieving goals instantly or getting that next personal sense of gratification, we can be living out of disappointment instead of the anticipation for the plan I believe God has for each of us. So right now, I’m trying to enjoy this moment.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into radio:
Go get a taste for it; everyone has got a community station that would really benefit from fresh passion and willingness to learn. Stay humble, always. The industry will swallow you and your dreams if you let pride get in the way of learning. Realise that it’s never to late to start, that honest hard work will always pay off in the end and the biggest thing – invest the same amount of commitment in building relationships, and a life outside of your work goals, because career success is a very lonely thing if don’t have good people around you to enjoy the journey.