mainstream film

-makes you laugh

-makes you cry

-is associated with commercial success 

-escapist entertainment

-has saturated cross media adverting campaigns 

-shown at multiplex cinemas that dominate uk film exhibition 

-has film stars in that you want to go and see

-has higher production values and is more entertaining and targets youth audience 

independent film

-makes you think

-makes you ask questions

-is associated with critical success

-art and cultural expression

-limited distribution 

-rarely shown at multiplex cinemas
-limited star marketing and lower production value
-tends to target stereotypically an older audience
-realist genres, less escapist representations
-challenge, provoke, inform and educate
-exploration of narrative themes, often open ended
-on location shooting
-niche, older, more educated target audience
-desaturated colour palette, natural lighting, often a more grainy mist-en-scene, more diegetic sound

mass audience consume primarily mainstream film because:

-entertaining, mainstream they make more money

-film is an industry/a business

-historically and commercial the film industry is controlled by Hollywood and 'the big six' who produce mainstream films for mass audience

-it's a distribution led industry - mainstream films attract significant advertising budgets.