Mainstream VS Non-Mainstream Films

Mainstream VS Non-Mainstream

The difference between ‘mainstream’ and ‘non-mainstream’ films, and how they can be recognised:

Mainstream and non-mainstream films, or known as independent films, are two sides of the film industry. Mainstream films are the ones produced by big production houses, and are widely released in cinemas for a short period of time. These movies usually aim to entertain a variety of audiences, and have marketing strategies to achieve that. Mainstream media usually has a multi-million dollar marketing budget. One of the main differences between mainstream and independent films is that directors in mainstream films usually have the luxury to create detailed sets, and travel around the world to film. However, independent films are mainly shot in the same place, due to the budget. Independent films are films produced outside the major film studios, therefore they are more underrated. These films are often produced by emerging filmmakers, and have lower budgets as compared to mainstream movies. The choice of actors is a big difference between these two types of films. Non-mainstream films frequently have unknown actors, whereas mainstream movies use recognised actors as the main attractions. The marketing campaigns for independent films are also small, such as film festivals and critics, due to the low budget. Therefore, these films can be recognised by the cast selected, the marketing tactics used, and their production houses.