"The Kids Are Awake"

Mark Borkowski of NYC-based The Indies Lab, is raising funding for his new film The Kids Are Awake. There are only 11 days left to fund this project! Spread the word!



"The Kids Are Awake" is an independent short film based on an award winning New York stage play by Mark Borkowski. The play was developed in The Actors Studio and the screenplay at The Indies Lab in New York City.

Shooting of the film will begin in the winter of 2012.

Awards: The 2010 Rod Serling Award for Best Play

What's it about?

"THE KIDS ARE AWAKE" centers around two twenty something misfits trying to find themselves amidst the most horrific of circumstances. Keri Cram, the daughter of a serial killer meets Paul, the son of one of her father’s victims. Her guilt and his compassion clash against the backdrop of his mother’s grizzly murder. The film tackles universal questions such as how do we find humanity amidst devastating circumstances and what happens to the children of monsters?

Here is Mark's Inspiration (in his own words)

I was working on the set of "The Perfect Witness" when the inspiration came over me to write this story. Having written "The Perfect Witness" I was already doing tons of research on compulsive killers and chronic psycho/sociopathology when, amidst my research, I started to wonder about the children of these people. I was filled with deep empathy, enough to be inspired to share their point of view. The "serial killer" being the monster father can easily be a metaphor for many parents who commit heinous crimes for which their children suffer shame and humiliation. The Nazi, the CEO who destroys the environment, the bad politician who destroys lives, the mobster, the unethical doctor, the crooked policeman and so on. We all have children. We all have a responsibility. I wrote this tale in the form of a play and it was produced by many different theatres around the country. The success of the play urged many people to convince me that it's such an original story that it deserves to be a movie. I brought the play into The Indies Lab in New York (under the moderation of George Katt) and, with the help of talented actors, I developed it into a short screenplay. At that point I had so many fans of the play that the pieces all started to come together and now, with your help, "The Kids are Awake" will soon become a motion picture.

What Mark Needs (in his own words)

Your donations will enable us to make this film the cinematic experience it deserves to be. We are currently in pre-production, scouting locations and rehearsing with the actors. I’m also working with a cinematographer, editor, sound people and all the necessary talents that put a film together. This all requires money. The crew I have involved in this endeavor are some of the most talented and skilled in New York City-- and they are willing to work for next to nothing because they truly believe in this project. But in order for them to devote their time they need some type of compensation, and deservedly so. Aside from this we have to assemble our locations, our equipment (lights, camera, etc), software, costumes, editing, union contracts and so on. The kickstarter goal of $8,000 will cover production cost as well as take us into post production. Please help us make “The Kids are Awake” not only a reality but the motion picture it deserves to be. I, as well many people who've experienced the play, truly feel that this film will touch people and shed light where there has mainly been darkness.

On behalf of my cast and crew, we thank you for your generosity.

Thank you,

Mark Borkowski Writer/Director

To read more info and/or make a pledge visit their Kickstarter page.

- Lena