Mark Borchardt

Mark Borchardt (born August 20, 1966) is an American independent filmmaker. He is best known as the subject of the 1999 film American Movie, which documented three years he spent writing, shooting and editing his horror short Coven.

Early life Borchardt was born and raised in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. His mother Monica is Swedish. He started making films at the age of fourteen with a super-8 camera that was given to him by a neighbor.

Career Filmmakers Chris Smith and Sarah Price began filming Borchardt while he was attempting to put together funding for his unfinished feature Northwestern. After Coven was completed, Smith and Price compiled their footage into American Movie, which was picked up by Sony Classics and won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. He made several TV appearances on The Show with No Name, a show in Austin, TX, between 2000 and 2003. In 2004, he played himself in a cameo appearance on the television cartoon series Family Guy, along with friend and American Movie co-star Mike Schank. He and Mike also had their own series on Zero TV, Mark and Mike and, in 2006, Mark and Mike hosted a national television special called Night of the Living Dead: LIVE from Wisconsin on Halloween night.

Borchardt has appeared in several movies, including The One (2001), The Tunnel (2001), Abby Singer, & The Godfather of Green Bay (2005). Borchardt also starred in Modus Operandi (2009), played a gravedigger in the partially animated comedy Hamlet A.D.D. (2014), had a leading role in the horror feature The Hagstone Demon (2011), and played Mr. Englan in the directorial debut of fellow Milwaukee filmmaker Jozef K. Richards, The Amateur Monster Movie (2011). In addition, Borchardt also made a cameo in the music video for the Leslie and the Ly's song "Zombie Killer" featuring Elvira, Mistress of the Dark on guest vocals.

He has contributed to Kevin Lindenmuth's 2001 book, The Independent Film Experience and had his short stories published in magazines. Borchardt is one of a trio of hosts on "Cinema Fireside," a weekly film discussion show on WXRW 104.1 in Milwaukee.

In 2004, he announced he would direct Scare Me and sent out casting calls. In 2008, he announced a 2009 release date, which was originally slated for a 2005 release. As of Summer 2010 the movie was still in production and as of 2023, it still has not been released. In April 2012, Borchardt stated that about 65% of the film had been shot, and that he was happy with the first forty pages of the script. However, he maintained parts of the script needed to be revised and while he had rough-cut some of the footage, there was no completion date in place for the project. In a March 2013 update for the Scare Me IMDb page, the release date was set for April 1, 2014.

In 2018 he directed a documentary called The Dundee Project, which focused on attendees of a UFO festival in Wisconsin. The film premiered at Slamdance Film Festival (Park City), then played at Fantastic Fest (Austin), Nitehawk Cinema (Brooklyn), and the Chicago Critics Film Festival.

Personal life Borchardt has three children.

Filmography As director Year Film Director Writer Producer Editor 1997 Coven 2018 The Dundee Project

As actor/subject Year Film Role 1997 Coven Mike 1999 American Movie Self 2001 The One Cesar The Tunnel Lincoln 2002 Britney Baby, One More Time Dude Schmitz 2003 Living Dead Girl Jesus 2005 The Godfather of Green Bay Skeeter Zombie Island Al the drunk at the bar 2006 Family Guy (TV) Himself 2007 Confession Stand Theatre Manager The Devil's Muse Floyd 2008 First Bass Principal Papalschmeck 2009 Living Arrangements Paul Unholy Reunion Douglas - Interviewee Tapioca Harve Dozers Gawker Modus Operandi Dallas Deacon Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever Herman 2011 The Amateur Monster Movie Mr. Englan The Hagstone Demon Douglas Elmore 2012 Heavy Hands The Mechanic 2014 Hamlet A.D.D. Gravedigger Two Rivers Dirke 2016 Here Comes Rusty Oren I Am an Alien Mark 2019 Black Licorice Martin Milo 2020 Faith Based Mark Small Town Wisconsin Store Clerk 2004–present Scare Me Jeff Lavelle 2018–present Joe Pera Talks with You Gordy/Guy at Bar

Music videos Video Band "Dead Pan" Big D and the Kids Table "Garden of Secrecy" Tenement "Semantics" Tapebenders “Band Practice/ Uptowner Girl” SOUP MOAT “Alley Tussle” IONEYE 2026

Unrealized Projects Northwestern Scare Me