Differences between mainstream and independent films

For this post, I will be comparing one of the smallest budgeted films to a highly budgeted film. I will do this because the primary difference between mainstream and independent films is the budgets they are given. The independent film I have chosen is Paranormal Activity. This had a budget of $15,000, and generated a box office of approximately $200,000,000. The mainstream film I have chosen is The Dark Knight Rises. This film had a budget of $230,000,000, and produced a box office of $1,084,439,099. The main factor of differences in budget are the elaborate cinema techniques. Better CGI, graphic and shots can be included due to the higher amount of funds to spend on said methods. Secondly, the increased actor status boosts the films success. If a film includes a highly popular Hollywood actor/actress, it will have a 'boost' during advertising, ergo generating more sales at cinema.