Independent Film Makers often make their "money" off their film by entering it in a variety of different film festivals around the world. Entry into these film festivals can cost anywhere between nothing and several thousand dollars depending on the popularity of the festival. Large film festivals like Sundance have such high entry fees that very small film makers with no real backers stand little chance of entering, much less winning these competitions.Independent Film is a definate niche. Depending on where you are and what type of films you make you could make a living as a independent film maker, or you could lose a great deal of money for your art.