The Tie-In

Mark Walter has spent thirty years inside Hollywood's production infrastructure — launching and operating major production facilities across California and globally, and working with manufacturers to find cleaner power solutions for film and TV sets. In this episode, we get into why hybrid generator systems are the most accessible and effective solution for base camp power on location today, what...

David Rovsek has been putting sustainable power to work on Hollywood productions since 2011 — long before the industry was ready. As President of King Kong Production Services — the parent company behind King Kong Production Vehicles and #setlife — he's spent two years building out a battery energy storage business serving film sets, live events, and festivals. In this episode we get into what it...

What happens when a software engineer turned sustainability consultant turns musician decides to use her fan base as a force for climate action? Vienna Teng — songwriter, performer, McKinsey Sustainability Fellow, and one of Grist's 50 Climate Innovators to Watch in 2025 — joins Zena Harris and Mark Rabin to talk about the unlikely through line connecting all of her careers: empathy-driven problem...

What if the foam, wood, and metal used to build film and TV sets could be replaced with a material that's stronger than it sounds, faster to build with, and goes straight into the blue bin when the shoot wraps? Karmen Hansen, Owner of Nordwerk Design Inc., joins Zena and Mark to break down how engineered paperboard is replacing virgin, high-emission materials in film, TV, and event production — an...

What does it take to build a thriving community around big ideas — and what does that have to do with sustainability in entertainment? Jenny Stefanotti, founder of Denizen, joins Zena and Mark to talk about how an accidental pandemic-era salon grew into a conversation with an 85,000-person reach on Clubhouse and a global community of leaders at the forefront of systemic change. They dig into AI's...

Writer, director, and actor Nat Boltt — known for Riverdale and South Africa's Isidingo — joins The Tie In to talk about her debut feature film Holy Days, a comedy starring Miriam Margolyes, Jacki Weave,r and Judy Davis. Nathalie opens up about the realities of sustainable film production, what it takes to make an independent film in Canada and New Zealand, and why the entertainment industry has a...

Becky Morrison, founder and CEO of New York and LA production company The Light, joins hosts Mark and Zena on The Tie-In to expose the hidden public health crisis on film and TV sets worldwide. From the Safe Sets documentary to the untold history of Hollywood's military-inspired production model, Becky breaks down why crews are burning out, getting hurt, and why the industry is finally pushing bac...

Amanda Smith has spent over two decades as a scenic artist working across theater, theme parks, and film. In 2022 she joined IATSE Local 729, became a Certified California Naturalist through the UC CalNat program, and launched two parallel projects: Los Angeles Is Not A Desert — an art and writing initiative exploring LA's overlooked ecosystems — and the IATSE Local 729 Set Painters and Sign Write...

What if a QR code at a live show could route thousands of people to exactly the right place to make a difference — based on where they're scanning from? Pete Kronowitt is "an activist with a music problem" and board member of Music Declares Emergency. He joins Zena and Mark to talk about the organization's Amplify program — a system that gives artists at any level a simple, trackable way to direct...

What does it look like when actors use their power on set to drive real climate action? In this episode of The Tie In, Zena and Mark sit down with Danusia Samal, co-founder of the Green Rider. The Green Rider is a UK-based organization that provides actors, writers, and directors with practical tools to reduce the carbon footprint of film and TV productions. We explore how the Green Rider's "hands...

What does it actually take to make sustainability a core pillar of a major live event — not an afterthought? In this episode, we sit down with CJ Jerard, Chief Brand Officer at Outside, and Jonah Geschwind of Green Disco to unpack how they built Outside Days, one of the fastest-growing outdoor festivals in the U.S., with sustainability baked in from day one. From slashing diesel generator use by 9...

This week on The Tie In, Mark is in the field at DistribuTECH 2025, the premier grid modernization and clean energy technology conference, interviewing innovation leaders solving critical sustainability and infrastructure challenges. Featured clean energy technologies: AI-powered utility infrastructure software accelerating grid upgrades (Bentley Systems), breakthrough lithium battery safety techn...

In this raw, honest episode of The Tie-In podcast, Zena Harris and Mark Rabin tackle the question every entrepreneur and startup founder faces: Is starting another business worth the next 5-10 years of your life? Zena and Mark dive into real talk about building companies and the founder journey: ✓ The hidden costs of entrepreneurship beyond money ✓ Self-awareness and personal growth as essential f...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark talk with Every Day Action Co-founders Hillary Cohen and Sam Luu. Every Day Action is a non-profit born from Hillary and Sam’s frustration at seeing untouched gourmet meals for cast and crew on film and T sets being thrown away rather than donated – because it was too complicated. Their experience as Assistant Directors for film and TV gave them the experie...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark speak with Maria Intscher-Owrang, Co-Founder and CEO of Simplifyber, an advanced materials company transforming manufacturing through simplified, sustainable processes. Maria is a fashion innovator who brings over 20 years of global design leadership and early expertise in ethical, sustainable luxury. Listen in as we learn about the vision and methodologies...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena is on stage at the Sustainable Production Forum with Yasmin Glanville, a senior results-oriented, growth, innovation, leadership, and communication strategist. Yasmin has over 35 years of executive and consulting experience with major business organizations, communities, NFPs, foundations, government, NGOs, and startups in a broad range of industries. Filmed during...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark speak with Alan Lacy, chief filmmaker and founder of Reel Earth Films, about his latest film, a Jackson Wild 2025 Media Award Finalist: Burrowing Owls: A Love Story. In this episode Alan shares behind the scenes details on the production and filming of Burrowing Owls, the film’s collaboration with The Global Owl Project to actively participate in conservati...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Mark is on The Playa talking to the innovators who are using the extreme environment of Burning Man as the proving grounds for portable, replicable, user-friendly renewable energy microgrids. Meet some of Burning Man's renewable energy pioneers and learn about the infrastructure they are creating to help meet The Burning Man Project’s 2030 goals set out in their Net Zero...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark reflect on their second season. Season 2 included nearly 50 interviews! Join Zena and Mark as they look back on what they've done this year and share the lessons they've learned from their guests. 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 Harr...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark talk with CJ Jerard, Chief Brand Officer at Outside, and Jonah Geschwind, CEO of Green Disco, about planning and production of Outside Days, Denver, Colorado’s 3-day festival that brings family and friends outside to enjoy music, ideas, film, and experiences. Outside Days has aspired to become the most sustainable festival in the country, tune in to get the...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark speak with Larry Engel, a Daytime Emmy® award-winning filmmaker and the director of the Film and Media Arts division in the School of Communication at American University .   Larry co-authored the first Code of Best Practices in Sustainable Filmmaking in 2009 and is currently an associate director of the Center for Environmental Filmmaking, where he di...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark are changing things up, we have two interviews on this episode. Tony Linan from Texas and Isaiah Smith from Louisiana share their point of view from their distinct regions, communities, and niches in entertainment..  Tony, a former military filmographer, has moved into documenting power sports and has insight on what it would take for electric motorcyc...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark talk with Melina Laboucan-Massimo, Founder and Executive Director of Sacred Earth Solar and co-founder of Indigenous Climate Actions. Melina shares with us her journey into climate activism; why she started an organization dedicated to supporting self-sufficiency and a just renewable energy transition for Indigenous communities; insights from her 2020 serie...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark talk with Samuel Rubin, a social impact practitioner and climate activist working at the intersection of culture, storytelling, and environmental advocacy.  Samuel, Zena, and Mark explore the language of change, the inertia of emotion, how to avoid the greenhouse effect of ideas, and why culture shapes action. Learn more about Samuel Rubin Website: htt...

This week on “The Tie-In,” Zena and Mark talk with Adam Rowe (Production Designer) and Joe Madziak (Construction Coordinator) about how they worked together in Canada and the U.S. to reuse sets on Good Sam (2022), Glamourous (2023), and Matlock (2024-current).  Adam and Joe share practical knowledge, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and share the obvious and surprising positives of working with s...