PJ Haarsma

Philip-Jon Haarsma (born June 5, 1964), more commonly known as PJ Haarsma, is a Canadian-born producer and science fiction author best known for his creation of the Rings of Orbis universe, which encompasses The Softwire series of books.

Haarsma created a free, online role-playing game, also called the Rings of Orbis, set in the same universe.

Both the book-series and the game target young, often reluctant readers in an attempt to encourage them by rewarding them for reading.

He is also the founder and CEO of Redbear Films, a production company that focuses on advertisements.

Haarsma developed a school presentation program in which he discusses The Softwire books, astronomy, and other science fiction and science fact topics.

He is also one of the co-founders of Kids Need to Read, a United States Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity that purchases books to donate to underfunded schools and libraries.

Haarsma, along with Redbear Films colleagues Andre Marcel and Drew Lewis, received a regional Emmy in 2021 for the commercial "Journey" for UCI Health.

Philip-Jon Haarsma was born on June 5, 1964, in Georgetown, Ontario.

Though he was named after his grandfathers, Philip and Jon, he went simply by "Jon" while growing up.

Later, while attending McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree, he began to use his initials, "PJ", and his books are published under the name "PJ Haarsma".

After he moved to the United States in 1989, Haarsma worked as a fashion and commercial photographer in New York City and Miami.

He received many photography awards, including an honorable mention at the Cannes Lion Awards in 1996.

Haarsma owns a production company called Redbear Films, Inc. The company produced one movie (Devious Beings, 2002), and a digital series called Con Man starring Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion and several corporate ads for clients such as Hewlett-Packard and Nokia.

For 15 years, Redbear Films focused on the production of advertisements.

Haarsma lives in Los Angeles with his wife, sci-fi fantasy artist and host of Your Mystical Guide, Marisa Grieco, and their daughters Skylar and Zoe.

PJ Haarsma is the producer and show-runner of the SyFy series, Con Man created by Alan Tudyk and co-produced by Nathan Fillion.

The series is currently in its second season and available on the SyFy channel.

PJ Haarsma set up the Con Man series at Lionsgate with executive, Seth Laderman.

PJ Haarsma crowdfunded the first series of Con Man, setting records through Indiegogo.

Haarsma produced the first season with a 23-day shooting schedule.

As a 30-year production veteran, Haarsma sees little difference producing a web series over films, TV, or advertising.

This series operated under SAG New Media and IATSE contracts, and crew members came from projects like Interstellar, Lord of the Rings, and TV's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

From the Fast Company Article: “The deliverables are the only thing that’s different.

Every other aspect is the same—getting the story, keeping the budget in line, creating a fun set, and keeping people from getting crazy,” says Haarsma.

“For a producer, the biggest thing is knowing everyone else’s job to make sure everything’s moving properly, anticipate what could go wrong, and having a tool chest to be able to solve it.

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At the age of 38, Haarsma was not satisfied with his professional life.

He began to keep a daily journal, writing about anything (and everything) that came to his mind—until eventually "Johnny T came onto [his] page."

Johnny T is the main character, Johnny Turnbull, of Haarsma's The Softwire series.

Haarsma chose to give The Softwire a sci-fi setting due to a love of science fiction, and to target a young adult audience with his novels so that children could discover and learn to enjoy the genre.

The Softwire is actually a story that Haarsma began imagining in his childhood.

As a teenager, he worked at his parents' ceramic factory during the summers, hauling fifty pound molds around in the extreme heat of a kiln room.

To Haarsma, it felt similar to what the children of his books might feel as slaves.

In addition to these experiences, there is a more prominent influence on the premise of The Softwire—that is, there is a mystery of a journey to a new, unknown place to start a new life.

Growing up, Haarsma dreamed of moving to the United States; and in his twenties, he actually did.

While there, living in New York, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Haarsma witnessed immigrants struggling to get by.

He tried to imagine what caused them to risk everything, and to move to another country, and to have a chance at something better.

It is this journey (and struggle) that is prevalent in The Softwire.

In The Softwire, a group of human children are orphaned in outer space.

They are forced into indentured servitude on the Rings of Orbis, four planet-like rings around a wormhole.