MAINSTREAM VS. INDEPENDENT FILMS AND

THEIR AUDIENCESJoey Carabini, Charlie Smith, Tom

Glasgow, Simeron Singh

Mainstream

Mainstream films are those that are released to wide audiences. However, just because a film is mainstream in one country, it is not necessarily mainstream in another. Hollywood films with large budgets are the most globally mainstream films.

An example of a mainstream horror film would be World War Z because it was produced using a large budget provided by a conglomerate. The film generated over $200m and features famous actors such as Brad Pitt. The marketing for this film was targeted to an extremely vast audience, predominantly through the use of TV advertisement.

The target audience for this film was fans of zombie horror films and thrillers but it also appealed to the large fan base of the big production companies involved, including Paramount Pictures and Sundance Productions, and big actors such as Brad Pitt.

Independent

Produced by independent production companies on a low budget either outside of major studios. The marketing for these films is done on a lower scale due to limited resources and, consequently, rarely reaches mass audiences.

An example of a highly successful independent film is Paranormal Activity, which was filmed on a budget of just $15,000. The independent film producer promoted the product at a low budget film festival and the film soon became popular through word of mouth (free advertisement) and generated huge profits.

Which is better- my opinion

I prefer independently produced horror films such as The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity as I feel they are more effective and have the desired impact on the audience. Mainstream films are often exaggerated and over-emphasised which sometimes reduces the realism, whereas independent films are more relatable to the majority of the audience.