Mick Kaczorowski

Michael Kaczorowski (born January 4, 1960), a nine-time nominated and three-time Emmy Award-winning producer and executive producer, is currently the creative director and producer of Bangkok Swagger. As executive producer, he is responsible for some of Animal Planet and Discovery's biggest and most iconic hits including Carrier: Fortress at Sea, Raising the Mammoth, and Walking with Prehistoric Beasts.

Kaczorowski is also responsible for many of Discovery Channel and Animal Planet's long running hit series including Meerkat Manor, North Woods Law, River Monsters, Alaskan Bush Family, Wild West Alaska, Buggin with Rude, and American Stuffers. Kaczorowski has worked in Washington D.C. for Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and the National Geographic Society.

Kaczorowski began his filmmaking career in 1982 working in feature films for Director Robert Altman on Streamers, O.C. and Stiggs and Secret Honor. In 1985 Kaczorowski helped launch before it became National Geographic Television, and was a film editor for over 10 years editing over 40 films, earning two Emmy nominations for best editing for Dancing with Stingrays and Ocean Kayakers. He edited Discovery Channel's first original production Ivory Wars.Kaczorowski joined Discovery Communications in 1994 holding many positions and titles across different Discovery networks. Over the next 20 years, he developed, supervised and managed everything from documentary specials and long running series, IMAX movies Wildfire: Feel the Heat, Discovery's first feature film The Leopard Son, Animal Planet's first feature film Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins and Animal Planet's first scripted drama The Whale. His production company Bangkok Swagger casts, develops and creates programing around the world for the web, social media and traditional television & cable networks. Mick grew up in Detroit, Michigan. He developed interest in film at a young age. His mother encouraged his interest in film by taking him to the cinema weekly. Yet, he didn't consider a career in film-making until his college years. Mick majored in psychology while attending the University of Michigan. His career changing decision came after enrolling in the English department film class where he studied the films of Swedish director Ingmar Bergman.

" after I saw Sawdust and Tinsel the first film in the class, I knew that I wanted to be a filmmaker ". (Kaczorowski, 2016)

While at University of Michigan, Mick met the multi-award-winning director Robert Altman. In 1983, University of Michigan School of Music invited Altman to direct Stravinsky's opera, The Rake's Progress. Altman lectured about his films while in at the university. Mick Kaczorowski used this opportunity to take advantage of having the world renown Altman at the University. He began to work on the opera volunteering on all aspects of the production, attended his film lectures and rehearsals and waited tables at a restaurant frequented by Altman. He was later given the responsibility as primary note-taker for the director when the opera began stage rehearsals. Post-graduation, he moved to New York to continue working with Robert Altman. In New York, he worked as one of Altman's production assistants in New York and on location. He served in various capacities in the editing phase of Streamers, OC and Stiggs, and Secret Honor.

In 1985, Mick Kaczorowski assisted in the launching of National Geographic Explorer. Over the course of the next decade, he edited over 40 films. He was nominated an Emmy (1990) for Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Editing for "Dancing with the Stingrays" and (1993) Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Editing for “Ocean Kayakers”.

In 1994, Kaczorowski joined Discovery Communications and for the next 20 years worked across many different Discovery networks getting numerous Emmy nominations and winning three Prime-Time Emmy Awards his work. Over the years, he has managed, supervised and produced everything from Documentary specials and long running series, IMAX movies, Kaczorowski has helped to develop the careers of David Tutera, Dave Salmoni, Christopher Lowell, Robert Verde, Jeremy Wade and others.

As a director, Kaczorowski has had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest award-winning talents of both stage and screen, including directing narrations with Sir John Gielgud, Rod Steiger, Linda Hunt, Stockard Channing, Novella Nelson, Kenneth Branagh, Brenda Vaccaro, Andre Braugher, William Shatner and many others.

Mick Kaczorowski was the senior producer for Discovery Channel's Carrier: Fortress at Sea. The documentary was well received. This earned him an Emmy (1996) for Outstanding Informational Programming Long Form.