The Tie-In

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark talk with Aaron Laslo, founder of Can-Do! Green Technologies, an urban lumberjack and CEO of UrbanJacks. UrbanJacks is a Vancouver, Canada-based startup growing in Vancouver and expanding to Ontario and California markets. UrbanJacks processes secondary solid wood waste and transforms it into recycled, premium lumber.  We talk carbon credits, the circu...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark have a conversation with Climate Action Now’s Founder and CEO Brett Walter and President Tim Guinee. Brett is an award-winning software designer and former Silicon Valley executive. Tim is a climate campaigner and an actor whose voice and face you’ll likely recognize from his 30+ year acting career. On this episode, we learn more about the Climate Action No...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark chat with Award-winning filmmaker Valerie Weiss. Valerie has directed for some of televisions biggest producers all while looking to incorporate her sustainable values into the day to day work of a director.  On this episode we discuss Valerie’s journey from her early interest in storytelling, her years in science that culminated in receiving a Ph. D....

And the 2025 Jackson Wild Award for Innovation in Green Production goes to…Shared Planet!  This week, Zena and Mark catch up with the production team from Shared Planet: Armen Evrensel, Production Manager for River Road Films; Matt Muncaster, Production Coordinator; and Lynn Fuhr,  Line Producer.  Shared Planet is a natural history series centered on coexistence and environmental re...

This week, Zena and Mark catch up with Tony Lee, the Producer and Director of P-22: The Legacy Lives On, a finalist of the 2025 Jackson Wild Innovation in Green Production Award!  This is a lovely conversation about the film and the iconic story of Los Angeles’ iconic mountain lion, as well as sustainable practices that touch on the co-existence of nature, urban life, and community.  We...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark are talking with Leena Manro.  Leena is on a purpose-driven journey that embodies body, mind, and soul.  Co-Founder of All Purpose, an award-winning B Corp-certified creative agency, she works in spaces and with companies that are “doing good” in the world. In this episode, we explore how we approach our life and work, and ways to create a positiv...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark are joined by Jack Cooper Stimpson. Jack is an award-winning writer, director, and environmental campaigner. Jack directed the short Spirit of Place, which was the first film to ever use the Green Rider. On this episode, we explore finding humor in climate stories, how to implement the Green Rider in filmmaking, and the success of Spirit of Place on the fes...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark are talking with Nat Boltt, Director (Holy Days), Writer (Holy Days), and Actress (Riverdale). An ambassador for the Sustainable Production Forum, Nat is passionate about sustainable production. On this episode we talk to Nat about sustainability on her first feature film Holy Days, discuss the state of sustainable production, and challenge each other to co...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark are talking with powerhouse Catherine Warren, Founder and President of FanTrust. Catherine is deep in the digital engagement revolution. We dive into digital engagement, AI, and where digital media is headed.  Website: www.fantrust.com   LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ceowarren Please like & follow “The Tie-In” here: @the_tie_in_pod You can lea...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark are taking a look at the nature we’re striving to protect in our own way with a hands-on explorer and educator, the Zoologist Andy Johnston (@andyjohnston.wildlife). His enthusiasm and knowledge about the marvelous creatures we share our wild backyard with has engaged the viewing public of New Zealand and his fans online. We learned a lot about what kind of...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark learn about electrical services, lighting design, and so much more from Carly Steiman (@ladyelectric_)! Carly has specialized in design, installations, consulting, and so much more for two decades. She brings a positive, can-do attitude to everything she does, and we hope listening to her words inspires you as much as it inspired us! The latest scoop about...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark take a look inside the sustainable costume closet with Jillian Clark, the Founder and CEO of Roboro, an organization doing their best to keep textiles out of landfills. You’ll hear about her fascinating career, as well as her many anecdotes about why she’s so proud of her “emotional industry” in LA. Her story is inspiring to creatives who are trying to find...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark explore waste management with the Founder of Rethink Resource (@rethink.resource), Shane Harker. Waste management seems to be at its best when the people working in that industry champion forward-thinking and data-led ideas and transparent processes. That’s one of the many reasons we so enjoyed our conversation with Shane. There is a lot to learn about wast...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark sit down with Sabrina Torres, the Founder of The Great Film Club (@thegreatfilmclub), to discuss how screening events can bring artists together! Their annual festival is coming up August 22 and runs through August 24. It’s free to submit, and Sabrina’s team prioritizes showcasing the work of filmmakers who are trying to find their audience. This is a great...

Thanks so much for being fans of “The Tie-In!” We look forward to releasing another full episode on Tuesday, but for now, we wanted to wish you a happy and healthy summer!  Please like & follow “The Tie-In” here: @the_tie_in_pod You can learn more about our hosts, Zena Harris and Mark Rabin & connect with them here: Zena Harris on LinkedIn Mark Rabin on LinkedIn

This week on The Tie-In, it’s a joy to bring you our discussion on digital opportunity with Mo Dhaliwal, the CEO and Founder of Skyrocket Digitial. A software engineer turned marketer, Mo is also the esteemed host of The High Agency Podcast (@highagencypod), which Mark had the pleasure of being on recently. On this podcast, we talk about how visionaries championing cultural change can create socia...

This week on The Tie-In , we’re very pleased to share a panel conversation about grid tie-ins and how they’re used (or not),  featuring: -Zsófia Szemerédy, Founder and Managing Director, Leverage Point Entertainment   (@leveragepointentertainment) https://www.leveragepointent.com/ -Dörte Schneider Garcia, Certified Green Consultant with Eco Eco Film https://ecoecofilm.com/about/   -...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark sit down with James Ellsmoor (@jellsmoor), an award-winning Sustainability Expert and Writer. He is the CEO of “Island Innovation,” an organization working on developing sustainability for islands worldwide, and we learned so much about how their services help fuel substantial growth for the island regions they support. It’s always a pleasure to host a gues...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark explore the craft and care behind the fantastic work of Adam Rowe, a Production Designer with iconic credits on such influential shows as “Parks and Recreation,” “The Good Place,” and “Mad Men.” This Emmy winner is always looking for ways to support environmental storytelling, and his approach to reusing set pieces is a great green story on its own. Tune in...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark go outside the box with Tanner Watt, and that last name’s no pun, but he does have a great understanding on how we should be using power during live events the right way. He’s been working (and has worked) on a variety of unique and creative partnerships and programs with REVERB (@reverb_org), an organization hoping to start a more global conversation aroun...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark discuss the joys of making entertainment that also educates and inspires with Benjamin Ryan Nathan (@benjaminryannathan), an award-winning filmmaker who believes in climate action through climate stories. Tune in to discover how art, including documentaries and the occasional viral video, can better our planet. Ben founded ALL OF US FILMS to utilize creativ...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark are up to the plate with Writer and Producer, Bill Mikita (@billmikita). He’s got tons of knowledge about making the business work for you, and we loved his stories about his process and experience in getting the stories he wants to tell out on screen. If you’re looking to become a climate influencer and you want to see more climate stories turned into movi...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark sit down with Dax Patton (@daxpatton), the Executive Director of “Spirit Oceano” (@spiritoceano) to discuss the vision behind green burial at sea. Journey with us through Dax’s unique career path that led him to this venture in unexpected, but inspiring ways. Learn how this visionary professional has adapted to opportunities and created conversation around...

This recording contains music from Shutterstock, licensed by Splice video editing app. We recommend you watch this on YouTube so that the accompanying visual aids will enhance your experience: https://youtube.com/@the-tie-in?si=gEi0pZPNu7zi0QwC This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark show you what it was like behind-the-scenes of the “Luck Reunion Tour” (@luckreunion) where Willie Nelson (@willie...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark met up with Kishla Askin, a national and health security expert who has helped with emergency preparedness and disaster management for over 30 years. She is the COO of “Polar Pangea,” an organization that helps develop global solutions to the Arctic climate crisis. What we’ve learned is that it all starts in the Arctic, and we must protect it to protect our...