Next holiday party, take a look around. I'm betting there is someone in the room who has made a movie -- or is seriously thinking about it. I'm talking about people with day jobs and scant experience behind a camera. Doesn't matter. The dream looms large.

Filmmakers of any stripe probably all bear a certain masochistic streak. But for the genuine independent filmmaker at the bottom of the totem pole -- the one who never gets within sniffing distance of studio financing -- the hurdles can be crushing.

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