10 Recent Movies That Never Should've Worked (But Did)

Though it's certainly encouraging to see how the affordability of cinema-caliber digital cameras has empowered low-budget indie filmmakers in recent years, it's also fair to say that the lower barrier for entry makes it much harder for filmmakers to stand out in a crowded field.

And so, when director Curry Barker dropped his 62-minute found footage horror film Milk and Serial on YouTube back in August, it faced an uphill struggle of discoverability, regardless of both the popularity of Barker's YouTube channel and the quality of the film itself.

Produced for just $800, this horror about a duo of YouTube pranksters who torment one another became an immediate viral hit, having been viewed over 800,000 times at the time of press, while receiving rave reviews from many outlets.

Though Milk and Serial likely hasn't been a financial hit for Barker, it has allowed him to nudge open a door to the industry, and it wouldn't be remotely surprising if a traditional studio approached him to produce his next project. 

For indie filmmakers everywhere, it's downright inspiring.