Ira Fuchs – Author/Producer has a successful track record as a computer technologist and entrepreneur. A lifelong resident of New York City he graduated with a BA in English from Queens College of CUNY in 1974. While in college he wrote plays that were staged at the original Playwrights Horizons, founded by Bob Moss. 

He has been involved with computer technology since 1975. The first company he started used IBM 360 mainframes to provide billing and collection services to medical laboratories. In 1981 his company MiCAD Systems was the first reseller of AutoCAD software in the world. In 1987 he founded Digital Pre-Press Inc., one of New York’s first desktop publishing service bureaus using Postscript image setters to output four-color color separations of fully composed pages.  In 1997, with Professor Jacob Schwartz, Chairman of the Computer Science Department and founder of the Courant Journal of Mathematics at New York University, they created software for synchronous, bi-directional voice and data communications that was a pre-cursor to applications such as WhatsApp. This endeavors lead to being recruited by AT&T in 1999 to become one of its first Internet specialists where he built Road Runner’s earliest optical network.

In 2003 he collaborated with CUNY’s continuing education department to create the Center for XML and Web Services Technologies. This led to consulting engagements to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Microsoft. In 2005 he joined Microsoft to support their financial services clients. In 2010 and 2013 he wrote and published two books on Microsoft’s SharePoint platform.

He returned to writing plays in 2017. He wrote and produced VILNA in 2019, which had an acclaimed five week Off Broadway run. As a result of the research for the play, he developed “The Pale”.

Ari Rubenstein is a Creative Director and Visual Effects Supervisor with over 30 years of experience serving the CGI (computer graphics imaging) and feature film industry. He has been fortunate to work for three industry pioneers, Xaos Inc, Tippett Studio, and Blue Sky Studios on a wide variety of Live-Action features and Feature Animated films, from The Matrix to Ice Age. Having worked with Apple, Netflix, Amazon and numerous Hollywood Studios as a VFX Supervisor he is a well-known industry insider.

Outside of commercial entertainment production, Ari spends his time developing independent films utilizing a worldwide crew of remote-based talent. These films explore and evolve the art and technology of filmmaking. With a specialty in Look Development, and a thorough knowledge of the entire VFX & Animation pipeline, Ari takes pride in developing content that reflects the highest levels of quality, from production to final delivery.

Having worked on many live-action and feature animated films, he has been fortunate to gain the experience that each of these different production disciplines offer, utilizing new technologies and techniques that have prepared him to exploit emerging opportunities, such as The Pale series.

While Ari was not involved with the POC he is excited to lead the production of the Pilot episode once it commences.

Joerg Schodl, born and raised in Vienna, Austria, began his artistic journey with a focus on fine arts, studying painting and holding several exhibitions in Vienna. In the late 1990s, he relocated to Chicago and pursued filmmaking at Columbia College Chicago, concentrating on cinematography. Joerg’s exceptional skills led him to the prestigious American Film Institute, where he earned an MFA in Cinematography.

In the early 2000s, Joerg established himself in Los Angeles’ high-speed (slow motion) film industry, specializing in both traditional film and digital cameras. Concurrently, he began teaching cinematography part-time at California State University, Northridge. Later, he transitioned to a full-time teaching career in Savannah, GA.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Joerg participated in the Epic Games Fellowship, gaining expertise in Virtual Art Direction and Virtual Cinematography using Unreal Engine. This advanced training positioned him as one of the nation’s few cinematographers proficient in traditional, digital, and virtual cinematography, and uniquely capable of teaching all three disciplines.

Joerg’s dedication to education has impacted hundreds of students, who have gone on to win numerous national and international filmmaking awards. In 2024, he completed the proof of concept for the virtual production of “The Pale” and saw the festival release of “Presumption of Death,” a feature film he photographed. His innovative work continues to shape the future of cinematography, making him a distinguished figure in the field.