John Borowski

Filmmaker/Author at Waterfront Productions
Director, Editor, Producer, Screenwriter and Videographer

Chicago, Illinois

Member Since:
January 2013

Last online:
> 2 weeks ago

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About John

John Borowski is an award winning independent filmmaker and author whose film works have garnered international acclaim and are distributed internationally on dvd, television, and streaming. Borowski’s “historical horror” trilogy of documentary films focus on late nineteenth and early twentieth century serial killers.

After receiving his B.A. from Columbia College Chicago’s film program, Borowski freelanced as an editor and cinematographer. Director Willy Laszlo chose Borowski to edit every headlining film for the Chicago Short Comedy Film and Video Festival from 1999 to 2003. In 2004, Borowski’s independently produced first film, H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer, was distributed on DVD in North America by Facets Video. For the voice of the narrator, Borowski chose Tony Jay, the voice of villain Judge Claude Frollo in Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame. Holmes was awarded with numerous awards including Best Director of The Midwest independent Film Festival and Best Documentary for Screamfest and was also broadcast on Court TV Canada. Holmes received an unprecedented amount of press, being covered by television (CBS News, Wild Chicago), print (Variety, LA Weekly, Chicago Sun-Times, Ain't It Cool News, Philadelphia Weekly, Chicago Magazine), and radio (Mancow Show, Deadpit Radio). The historical interest in Holmes was reflected in the lectures Borowski delivered to The Chicago Historical Society, Indiana State University, and St. Xavier University. The Strange Case of Dr. H.H. Holmes is an illustrated book published by Borowski containing three primary source books about the Holmes case and Holmes’ complete confession. H.H. Holmes has been distributed to over a dozen countries worldwide.

After disappearing for over 25 years, Dennis Rader, the BTK Murderer, resurfaced in 2004 after sending letters to the Wichita Press. The Wichita Police Department contacted Borowski to aid in their investigation by subpoenaing the names of people in Wichita who ordered the Holmes DVD. BTK was familiar with other serial killers and had mentioned H.H. Holmes in his writings, therefore the authorities were covering all bases by investigating any potential suspects who may have purchased a Holmes DVD. Dennis Rader, the BTK murderer was apprehended in February of 2005.

Borowski relocated to Los Angeles in 2005 for four years where he produced his second film, Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation, which has been called “one of the most disturbing films ever made.” For Fish, Borowski interviewed artist Joe Coleman and had a tour of his famous Odditorium in Brooklyn, NY. Also in 2005, Borowski served as Associate Producer on the British television documentary production, Murder Hotel.

Albert Fish was released on DVD in 2007 and the world premiere screening was held at the historic Vine Theater in Hollywood. At the New York Screening, Borowski met the Italian distributor for Gargoyle Video who agreed to distribute Fish in Italy. The BTK murder case resurfaced again in Borowski ’s life when he became assistant editor on the documentary film, I Survived BTK. Borowski’s worldwide filmmaking appeal burgeoned with screenings of HH Holmes and Albert Fish in foreign countries such as Greece, Denmark, United Kingdom, Italy, and Canada. Holmes and Fish were also featured in the Australian book, Celluloid Serial Killers (2007).

Borowski relocated back to Chicago in 2009. Always embracing cutting edge technology, Borowski ensured his films were available to the internet/streaming audience. In 2009, Netflix began streaming Holmes and Fish. Releases of the films on Itunes, Amazon, and Hulu followed immediately after. Borowski directed his first ever book trailer for John Everson’s, The 13th, published by Leisure Books.

The worldwide appeal of Borowski’s fanbase was reflected in numerous projects in 2010 including being featured in the books, Murderabilia and True Crime Collecting (Published in the U.K.), and The Documentary Moviemaking Course. Also in 2010, Borowski was the associate producer on Chilean filmmaker Patricio Valladares’ feature film, Toro Loco.

In 2011, Borowski attended The Crime Scene, a true crime performance event, where he received a letter from serial killer Keith Jesperson asking Borowski to create a film on his life. The Swedish Band, Sparzanza, utilized Tony Jay’s narration audio from Albert Fish for their song, Mr Fish. Borowski also directed the music video of Mr. Fish, which many Sparzanza fans have called their favorite music video.

Carl Panzram: The Spirit of Hatred and Vengeance, Borowski’s third feature documentary film, was released on DVD October 23, 2012 and is now also available for streaming worldwide at the official film site. The film features John DiMaggio (Bender from Fox’s Futurama) as the voice of lifelong criminal and murderer Carl Panzram. For the film, Borowski underwent a process of unprecedented research which included filming at the maximum security prisons of Leavenworth Penitentiary and Clinton Correction Facility as well as filming Panzram’s handwritten autobiographical papers at San Diego State University. Panzram was awarded the director's choice award at the 2012 Chciago Horror Film Festival.

The popularity of Borowski’s films reached an all time high in 2012. In April and October, HH Holmes aired on PBS and Borowski was the special guest on PBS' pledge drive. Bojan Pandža, Serbian author and film critic had this to say: "There are four horsemen of the Apocalypse, Herzog, Eroll, Les Blank and John Borowski. HONESTLY!!!"

In 2013, Borowski's films were screened in Paris France, he was featured in Psychology Today, U.K.'s Bizarre Magazine, interviewed for the Travel Channel show Monumental Mysteries, served as an official judge in the documentary category for the Housecore Horror Film Festival, completed Mime Time a short film entered into the ABC's of Death 2 competition and completed his fourth feature documentary film, Serial Killer Culture, released in 2014.

In 2016, Borowski released The Ed Gein File, a book containing documents from the Gein case. Serial Killer Culture TV was released in March of 2017 as a follow up to the successful film, Serial Killer Culture. Dahmer's Confession, Borowski's fourth book, was released in October of 2017. 2018 Marks the release of Borowski's fifth feature documentary film, Bloodlines: The Art and Life of Vincent Castiglia. Borowski is currently busy writing several feature narrative film screenplays, writing his next book, Panzram at Leavenworth, producing the second season of SKCTV and producing his next serial killer biography documentary film, Jesse Pomeroy: The Boston Boy Fiend.

Borowski currently resides in his hometown of Chicago.

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Unique traits: I love all genres, especially horror films. I am an expert on serial killers and have many interest including collecting movie soundtracks. I am also an author with 4 books on the market.

Gender:
Male

Height:
6' 2"

Weight:
180

Body type:
Slim

Hair:
Short

Hair color:
Blonde

Eyes:
Blue

Ethnicity:
Caucasian

Certifications

Photos

Videos

BLOODLINES - Official Trailer - The Art and Life of Vincent Castiglia - Blood Artist - HD

Credits

Jesse Pomeroy: The Boston Boy Fiend (2018)
Film (Documentary) Producer The factual story of Jesse Pomeroy, who was 14 years old when he murdered two children in 1874 Boston.
Bloodlines: The Art and Life of Vincent Castiglia (2018)
Film (Documentary) Producer Add a Plot »
Serial Killer Culture TV (2017)
Television (Biography, Crime, History, Horror and 1 More) Producer Serial Killer Culture TV is an episodic TV show which features intimate interviews with those involved in the serial killer culture community.
Something About Henry (2016)
Film (Short and Drama) Director Add a Plot »
The Portrait (2015)
Film (Short and Horror) Producer An art collector is terrorized by a haunted portrait.
Spilt Blood (2015)
Film (Fantasy, Horror and Sci-Fi) Cinematographer 100 years after an epic battle between vampires and werewolves takes place, the vampires celebrate the anniversary of the day they killed off all of the werewolves with a large party of vampires and gothic mortals. Then a shocking guest shows up unexpectedly to seek revenge on the vampire he watched kill his sister.. This guest, the lone werewolf who got away. Written by Breaking Fate Entertainment
Rough Crowd (2014)
Film (Short and Comedy) Producer A comedian doesn't realize he is making jokes about the wrong crowd at a comedy club and they seek revenge.
Choose Love (2014)
Film (Short, Drama and Romance) Cinematographer When two people love each other it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Clint must choose between his love for John or a woman.
Serial Killer Culture (2014)
Documentary by Waterfront Productions/John Borowski Producer/Writer/Director
M is for Mime Time (2013)
Film (Short and Horror) Producer A mime enacts revenge on his aggressor.
Carl Panzram: The Spirit of Hatred and Vengeance (2013)
Documentary by Waterfront Productions/John Borowski Producer/Writer/Director
Mime Time (2013)
Documentary by Waterfront Productions/John Borowski Producer/Writer/Director
Toro Loco (2012)
Documentary by Vallastudio Pictures/Patricio Valladares Associate Producer
Feast of the Assumption: BTK and the Otero Family Murders (2010)
Film (Documentary and Crime) Editorial department A living victim's personal journey through one of the most unique serial killer cases in U.S. History - the BTK murders, as told through the eyes of Charlie Otero, the oldest surviving member of the first family BTK murdered on January 15th, 1974. Written by Marc Levitz
I Survived BTK (2010)
Documentary by Unsub Films/Marc Levitz Assitant Editor
The Devil's Muse (2007)
Film (Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery and 1 More) Sound department An unforgettable journey into the darkness and mystery of Hollywood's most famous unsolved murder case. When the beautiful Lisa Small gets the chance to play the tragic victim of the crime, Elizabeth Short, an entire dreamworld awakens all around her. All the while, a killer is on the loose collecting women and killing them in time for the 60th anniversary of the original murder. A spider's web grows around Lisa, as her nightmares and desires intersect. As Lisa delves deeper into her script, she propels herself into living out the last days of the Black Dahlia. Written by Bloodshot Pictures
Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation (2007)
Film (short) by Waterfront Productions/John Borowski Producer/Writer/Director
Murder Hotel: The Story of America's First Serial Killer (2005)
Film (Documentary) Producer A documentary about H.H. Holmes who was a famed serial killer in the mid 1800s. He had a whole murder castle built specifically for that purpose. He spent nearly a decade hiring and firing builders to add pieces to his house that included pipes for pumping gas into bedrooms, a room built specifically to suffocate people, and a murder basement where he would strip the skin from his victims.
Slaughtered at the Murder Hotel (2005)
Film by David Monoghan Productions/David Monoghan Associate Producer
H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer (2004)
Documentary by Waterfront Productions/John Borowski Producer/Writer/Director
Handicapped Hunters (2001)
Film (Short and Comedy) Editor Accessable blood sports.