Call it a renaissance if you want.  A rebirth of a specific aspect of American cinema: the franchise.  Whatever label you wish to give it, we are witnessing a revival of film series that were once thought dead – moribund franchises, that were had long ago outlived their usefulness.  “Batman”; “Superman”; “Rocky”; “James Bond”; even “Die Hard”.  It doesn’t take a film expert to see that these movies had descended into self-parodying shells of their former selves (admittedly, the first three more so than the latter two, but still, they were on their way).  Banking on brand awareness, producers were down to giving us stories that were basically dressed up recycling, always reliving the same plots but never pushing new bounds.  Brand awareness can only do so much, before you find yourself stuck with the conventional missteps of filmmakers eager to use a franchise for what it can offer, rather than what they can do for it.  “Batman & Robin” was a prime example, as was “Rocky V”.  (Of course, there are those who feel both films are good, fun storytelling, and wouldn’t change a thing.. this is not meant for them).

It now appears that it can sometimes take a decade of futility, and an utter lack of interest from the audience, before you can get a new lease on franchise life.  It takes time before you can get a Christopher Nolan to the table, or a Martin Campbell – men who re-create a series based on quality, not merely the recognition of the name.  All these years we’ve waited, and we finally have filmmakers who can take all the memorable images and ideas from our iconic heroes and make them real again – and can also make them relevant in a more modern world.  Whether it be Batman’s beginning, or James Bond’s first kill, we’re treated to an analysis of what makes these men great – faults and all.  In fact, it’s a testament to these filmmakers that they’re able to recognize the greatness in our most flawed characters – and it marks the beginning of an era in which our creations truly reflect the best and worst of us all.  That is what these writers and directors have done in re-imagining classic franchises, and as fans of cinema we should be grateful.

As a final note, one can’t mention “Rocky V” without also discussing the fabulous work that Sylvester Stallone did in “Rocky Balboa”, the 6^th Rocky film – and perhaps the best since the very first.  More so than any of the other films mentioned above (even more than Bond’s “Casino Royale”) this newest Rocky film is remarkable because it not only reinvigorated a franchise that had become a joke (“What’s the latest movie up to, “Rocky 12”?), but it did so using the some of the same actors, in very much the same setting.  What Stallone did was, at its core, very simple: he wrote an incredibly truthful, self-assessing cinematic gem, that never tried to be more than it was.  And the result was dialogue so honest, that even as we’re watching Rocky say the lines, we’re also seeing Stallone say them himself.  Stallone should be credited with having the depth and technique to pull this off, and the self-awareness to make this one of Rocky’s best moments.

I for one am off to watch the new “Rambo”.  After that, I will eagerly await the next Batman and James Bond films, knowing they’re in good hands… for now.

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We’re often asked how users of Media Match can maximise the value of their membership to the site – leading ultimately to that sought-after job.

Here are our top 10 tips for getting the most out of Media Match:

Job Types

Media Match allows you to select up to 4 distinct job type categories on your profile. The selections you make here determine which job alerts we email to you, and how employers find you when they search the Media Match freelancer database*. To maximise your exposure, make sure you have chosen 4 appropriate job types.

‘Work In‘

Just like the ‘jobtype’ tick boxes – selecting the state(s) you’re available to work in determines the email alerts you get, and the employer searches* you appear in. Be realistic about what you select. Are you really prepared to move to California from New York? Update your ‘work in’ here.

About Me

The ‘About Me‘ section on your Media Match profile is your chance to sell yourself. The first 100 words of the ‘About Me’ appears next to your name in the search results* presented to employers who directly search our database. Make sure you have something attention-grabbing in there to entice employers to look at your full profile.

If you have elected to allow your profile to be found by major internet search engines* (like Google, MSN and Yahoo – see below), then the ‘About Me’ section is what appears under the link to your resume in their search results.

Upload a Picture

A picture of yourself, your work, a logo or a still can help make your profile memorable. In addition to making your profile different from the rest of the bunch, it also allows you to express your personality and give you an online identity which is useful not only in sticking in people’s mind, but when engaging with the Media Match community though the forum, or contacting other freelancers. It only takes a few quick clicks!

Upload your professional resume

Have you got a Word or pdf version of your full professional resume? Upload it to your Media Match profile (’Upload Word’ on the Profile submenu). Many employers like to see a standard resume attached to Media Match multimedia profiles

Instant Update

Many employers search our freelancer database directly to find the people who have the skills they need, without advertising on the jobs board. The search results* are displayed in order of most recently updates resumes first. To make sure you are at the top of the pile, all you have to do is click ‘Instant Update’ from the menu bar when you are logged in. Doing this every few days will make sure you’re always visible: everyone’s doing it!

Let Google Find You

Whilst we cannot ‘insert’ your Media Match resume in to major internet search engines’ results, we can do out best to make sure they find you. Ensure that you select ‘Allow Search Engines to find me’* in your contact options (the last section under ‘Update Profile’). Many of our freelancers are reporting that they have found tv and film jobs directly as a result of their Media Match profile appearing in a Google search!

Upload Reels and Samples

Jazz up your profile by adding multimedia content to it. If you have any audio of video samples of your work, attach them to your Media Match profile. What better way to exhibit exactly what you’re made of? You can have as many uploaded files as you like – provided each is under 30Mb in size, and is in a format supported by the Media Match system. Simply click ‘Add Media’ on the ‘Profile’ submenu.

Credits and Employment History

It’s essential that you list your recent relevant credits and your latest employment history, with emphasis on tv and film jobs. Flag up the achievements you are proud of, and be bold in selling yourself to your next potential employer. As you are aware the TV and film jobs industry is very tough, so you need to maximise your chances by selling yourself through your profile.

Cover letters

When applying* for a job directly through Media Match, you are given the opportunity to write a cover letter to the job employer. A link to your online profile is included underneath that letter. The cover letter is the first contact, and first impression you make with your prospective new employer – it’s vital to make a good impression and to make them excited about you. Two lines saying ‘look at my resume’ is not impressive. Give a brief description of your recent achievements, and outline why you think you are perfect for this job. Imagine the person reading your cover letter has already looked at 50, and there are another 50 to follow. What is it about you that’s going to make them take that next step and look at your online Media Match profile (complete with pictures, videos and a full, downloadable Word or PDF resume)?

*visibility in Media Match database search results, visibility to external search engines and applying for jobs are only available to premium (subscribing) members of Media Match.

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