The Tie-In

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 their audiences toward high-impact organizations. He breaks down how it works, why it works, and what a small 10-show tour with a 36% conversion rate taught him abou...

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 "handshake" model is breaking down communication barriers between talent and production, why early conversations are the key to greener sets, and how talent agencies are starting to rethink what they...

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 95%, eliminating 190,000 single-use plastic cups, and achieving 100% food vendor compliance — to getting 30% of attendees to arrive by sustainable transport — this conversation is packed with real-world strategies that any ev...

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 technology preventing thermal runaway in commercial energy storage (Viridi), utility-grade modular microgrid systems providing resilient renewable power (Box Power), smart electrical panel load management eliminating costly service upgrades (SPAN).

Learn how these innovations enable decarbonization, reduce energy costs, improve resilience, and make renewable energy practical across industries—fr...

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 founder skills

✓ The startup fallacy nobody talks about

✓ Choosing your path: starting a company vs. joining a team

✓ Work-life balance, relationships, and founder burnout

✓ Mental...

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 experience and problem-solving skills needed to turn their frustration into action. Listen in as we learn how rescuing and reallocating food has had ripple effects on the ground in Hollywood, from fee...

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 behind Simpifyber and why the fashion industry is ready to be disrupted.

Learn more about Simplyfyber:

Simplifyber Website

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

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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 SPF Toronto on November 24th, 2025, Zena and Yasmin define and discuss what makes a good leader, who can lead, the importance of creating a culture of collaboration, and more!

This episode is an edited version of a longer, live-streamed conversation.

Learn more...

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 conservation efforts, and their strategies tell a great stories.

Learn more about Burrowing Owls, Alan Lacy, and Jackson Wild

Reel Earth Films Website

Burrowing Owls; A Love Story

R...

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 Black Rock City Initiative. Mark brings us into Black Rock City to hear from Solarpunk’s Xtina Chu and Corey Johnson, Dragon Wing’s Dr. Ryan Wartena, Burning Man Org’s Director of Regeneration George Reed...

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.

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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 behind-the-scenes details on how they make it happen.

Learn more about Outside Days, Jonah, and CJ:

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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 directs the Classroom in the Wild experiential program.  With five decades of experience, Larry has stories and wisdom to share from the “ahah moment" that inspired him to approach filmmaking more sustainably, to what it’s like to fly into th...

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 motorcycles and gear to take off in his community.  Isaiah brings the joy and shares what he’s witnessed in the Louisiana community theater scene and how he stays positive.  

Learn more about Tony Linan and...

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 series Power to The People; and reflections gathered over her 20 years of experience working on social, environmental, and climate justice issues.  

Learn more about Melina Laboucon-Massimo and Sacred Earth Solar

Please like & fol...

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

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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 sets across multiple projects.

Learn more about Adam Rowe and Joe Madziak:

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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 circular economy, forging a new path in new industries, collaboration across North America, the courage required to change the system, and more.

Learn more about Aaron Laslo and Urban Jacks:

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 Now App; explore the intersection of technology and story; and riff on where we’ve been, where we are, and the stories that keep us going.  Stay until the end to hear about Clima...

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. in Biophysics, becoming a director for Film and TV, her appointment on the DGA’s Sustainable Future and Special Projects Committee, and the role curiosity plays in looking for sustainable solutions and in the creation...

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 restoration. Filmed across dozens of countries, Shared Planet brings to life untold stories of people and wildlife thriving together—from orangutans in Borneo to beavers in Idaho... But behind the camera, just as much thought went into reducing impacts, lowering the carbon footpri...

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 recorded this interview in collaboration with Jackson Wild.

Jackson Wild is a nonprofit that brings together filmmakers, scientists, and conservationists from around the world to inspire action for our planet. Every year...

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 positive work environment.

Please like & follow “The Tie-In” here: @the_tie_in_pod

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 festival circuit.

Please like & follow “The Tie-In” here: @the_tie_in_pod

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 consider how we can do it better.  

Please like & follow “The Tie-In” here: @the_tie_in_pod

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. 

Please like & follow “The Tie-In” here: @the_tie_in_pod

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 messaging gets people excited about sustainability and ecology, and we hope you learn a lot from following his updates about some fascinating fauna that you may not be aware of. We...

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 her upcoming art exhibit, the likes of which showcases the power and vibrancy of strong women pursuing various trades, is just a click away. You’ll be seeing so much more of Carly in the co...

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 their way forward on a challenging career path, and her thoughts on stitching together more circularity in Hollywood are brilliant! 

We’re so lucky to have gotten the...

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 waste and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with it. Shane touches on this and so much more in this episode, so be sure to download and share with a friend or two!

You ca...

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 episode for anyone interested in what’s trending for independent film production. One huge takeaway is that the people who are persevering in the industry are those who aren’t afraid to innovate. We...

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

This week on “The Tie-In,” we have a very special episode for you. Zena and Mark are behind the scenes with the folks at Showpower (Showpower.com) during the Coldplay concert. Our hot take is that the coolest thing about the event is Coldplay’s innovative vision. Their talent and artistry and stage presence are matched only by their ingenuity. This is your exclusive opportunity to go backstage with Paul Schurink and the rest of the Showpower team to learn exactly how they are keeping the planet safe while keeping all Coldplay fans entertained! As we’ve said here many tim...

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 social impact. These inclusive conversations can lead to better sustainability as more voices are heard, and we hope you enjoy hearing his voice as much as we did. Art, technology, and social advocacy ca...

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/ 

-Roxy Erickson, Co-Director of Creative Zero  (@creativezerouk)

https://www.creativezero.co.uk/ 

These talented women in sustainability and entertainment are finding inventive ways to use data. They recently collaborated to launch a...

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 guest who can speak so eloquently about how they achieve great results for their clients, and the entertainment industry can learn a lot from his approach.

Check out his website and get connected to all his aw...

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 for lots of anecdotes from someone who forged their own success while doing their best to bring creative climate solutions to production sets. We could have listened to Adam’s stories all day, a...

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 around sustainability in the music industry. This awesome fellow has terrific insight and stories. He’s worked with some truly iconic and interesting people like Willie Nelson and Billie...

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 creative talent for profound positive impact. Talking with him certainly had a great impact on us, and we hope you enjoy the episode as much as we enjoyed talking with him!

Ben is totally comfortable with people inte...

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 movies, then this episode might provide some much needed inspiration.

One thing we loved hearing from Bill is how he allowed his career path to chang...