Carruth filmed Primer on a $7,000 budget — dirt-cheap by production standards — and earned positive reviews from critics and viewers alike. The plot revolves around two friends who ultimately discover a means of time travel and struggle with the tremendous power such a tool presents, though we won't risk further spoilers for those that haven't yet seen the intellectual thriller. It may not have the backing of a major film studio, but Carruth's decision to offer his work directly to fans is just the latest example of content creators cutting out the middleman. Whether he plans to employ the same model for his next film Upstream Color, set to debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January, remains unclear.