ShowRunHer Blog

The Business of
Indie Film.

Grants, funding, brand deals, festivals, pitch strategy, and industry news — written by Michelle A. Daniel for filmmakers who are serious about building a career.

Short Film In Production

Seedfield Studios · 2026

Knock Knock — A New Short Film by Michelle A. Daniel

A psychological thriller about love, illusion, and the performance of perfection. Now in production. Brand partnerships open. Watch the journey behind the camera.

Seedfield Studios · Currently in Production Explore the Film →

🎬 Industry News

Issa Rae Just Changed the Game — What TikTok Micro-Dramas Mean for Indie Filmmakers

Hoorae Media's deal with TikTok to produce Screen Time isn't just a celebrity move — it's a signal about where the money, the audience, and the opportunity is going.

📋 Grants

How to Write a Film Grant Application That Gets Read

Most applications get eliminated in the first paragraph. Here's exactly what grant reviewers look for — and how to make sure yours makes it through.

💰 Grants

7 Film Grants Every Indie Filmmaker Should Apply to in 2026

These aren't the obvious ones. These are the grants with the best acceptance rates, the most filmmaker-friendly requirements, and the deadlines coming up fastest.

🤝 Funding

Brand Deals for Filmmakers — How to Get Product Placement Without an Agent

The outreach email, the pitch structure, and the deal terms that actually work — from someone who just landed four brand partners for a short film in three weeks.

🖼️ Pitching

The Pitch Deck Mistakes That Kill Investor Meetings Before They Start

Investors decide in the first three slides. Here are the most common mistakes filmmakers make — and what a deck that actually gets meetings looks like.

🏆 Festivals

Festival Strategy — Which Festivals to Submit to First and Why Order Matters

Submitting to the wrong festivals in the wrong order can disqualify you from the ones that matter most. Here's the sequence that gives your film the best shot.

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The Business ofIndie Film.

The Business of
Indie Film.