The Tie-In

Zena Harris and Mark Rabin

Behind the scenes, sustainability in action. Entrepreneurs Zena Harris and Mark Rabin talk shop with filmmakers, event producers, and entertainment professionals from around the world in a quest to amplify the voices of people who are innovating, leveraging their influence, connecting ideas, and inspiring crews to make the entertainment we love more sustainable.

  1. 5d ago

    AI Energy Use, Data Center Carbon & the Emissions Nobody Is Counting | Kanika Sharma

    A single AI query uses four to five times the energy of a regular search. Data centers consumed 415 terawatt hours of electricity in 2024 — and that number is projected to more than double by 2030. But the carbon story most people aren't talking about isn't the electricity. It's the equipment. Kanika Arora Sharma, Principal of Sustainability at Introba, led the research report Hidden Emissions of the Cloud — examining the embodied carbon of data center cooling systems over a 60-year life cycle. She breaks down what a data center physically is, why the mechanical and electrical equipment inside it dominates its carbon footprint over time, what happened when her team asked manufacturers for their carbon data, and what the entertainment industry's studio and streaming infrastructure has to do with all of it. If you work in film, TV, or production and use cloud tools, AI workflows, or streaming platforms — this episode connects directly to your industry. 💼 Connect with Kanika: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arorakanika/ 🌐 Introba: https://www.introba.com 🔗 Read Kanika’s report: https://www.introba.com/news/hidden-emissions-cloud Connect with your hosts: 💼 Zena Harris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenaharris/ 💼 Mark Rabin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabinmark/ 👉 SUBSCRIBE for more sustainability and clean energy content from inside the entertainment industry. #DataCenter #AIEnergy #EmbodiedCarbon #DataCenterSustainability #AICarbon #CleanTech #GreenTech #Sustainability #DataCenterCooling #ImmersionCooling #CarbonFootprint #Scope3 #NetZero #ClimateAction #SustainableEntertainment #FilmIndustry #StreamingSustainability #GreenProduction #TheTieIn #EnergyTransition #AIEnvironmentalImpact #CloudComputing #BuildingDecarbonization #WholeLifeCarbon #MEP

    38 min

  2. May 19

    The Hidden Carbon Cost of Streaming: Barbara Lange on Media Tech Sustainability

    What does it actually take to get content from a camera to your screen — and how much energy does it burn along the way? Barbara Lange, founder of Kibo 121 and co-founder of the Media Tech Sustainability Series, breaks down the four stages of media tech — production, digital factory, distribution, and consumption — and why the industry needs to stop quietly doing good work and start talking about it. From the Media Climate Accord to right-to-repair, this is a behind-the-scenes look at the people and systems working to make entertainment less wasteful. 🎙️ Connect with Barbara: 🌐 kibo121.io | mtsseries.org 💼 LinkedIn: : https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarahlange/ 🎙️ Connect with your hosts: 💼 Zena Harris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenaharris/ 💼 Mark Rabin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabinmark/

    37 min

  3. May 12

    Hollywood Trucks Built a Fleet of Self-Powered Trailers — Now NBCUniversal Is Deploying Them | Andre Champagne

    Andre Champagne, founder and CEO of Hollywood Trucks, just announced a multi-year deal with NBCUniversal to deploy his new Eco Luxe trailers across all their film and TV productions — on-lot and off-lot. In this episode, he joins us from inside one of his new Eco Luxe trailers — parked on the Universal Studios lot, running entirely on its own power, never plugged in. He breaks down how autonomous power works on a real film set: solar-powered trailers that generate, store, and distribute free clean energy to anything on the lot — including EV charging for cast and crew. On one Amazon production, he walked up to eight Hollywood Trucks trailers with eight EVs tied in and charging — no external power source, no cost. Listen in to hear why he believes the clean energy tipping point for the entertainment industry has already arrived. From his first solar panel on a trailer in 2012 to a fully off-grid base camp by 2015 — this is a behind-the-scenes look at how sustainable film and TV production actually gets built, and where it's going next. 🎙️ Connect with Andre: 🌐 hollywoodtrucks.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodtrucks/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hollywood-trucks/ 🎙️ Connect with your hosts: 💼 Zena Harris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenaharris/ 💼 Mark Rabin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabinmark/ 👉 SUBSCRIBE for more sustainability and clean energy content from inside the entertainment industry.

    47 min

  4. May 5

    Hollywood Power Infrastructure & Sustainable Base Camp Solutions: Hybrid Generators, Battery Tech & Clean Energy Transition for Film & TV Production | Mark Walter

    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 resistance to new technology actually looks like on set, how small legacy vendors are navigating a rapidly changing equipment landscape, and what Hawaii's coming diesel generator ban signals for the rest of the industry. A candid, practical conversation from someone who has seen it from every angle. 🎙️ Connect with Mark: 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mark-v-walter 🎙️ Connect with your hosts: 💼 Zena Harris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenaharris/ 💼 Mark Rabin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabinmark/ 👉 SUBSCRIBE for more sustainability and clean energy content from inside the entertainment industry.

    24 min

  5. Apr 28

    How Battery Power Is Quietly Replacing Diesel Generators on Film Sets: David Rovsek, King Kong Production Services

    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 actually takes to get productions to try something new, where batteries are winning on cost and logistics, and why the next generation of filmmakers may be the ones who finally tip the scale. A practical, on-the-ground look at how clean power is moving from niche to standard on set. 🎙️ Connect with David: 🌐 kingkongproductionservices.com 📸 Instagram: @kingkongtrailers | @setliferentals 👤 Facebook: David Rovsek 💼 LinkedIn: King Kong Production Vehicles Inc. 🎙️ Connect with your hosts: 💼 Zena Harris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenaharris/ 💼 Mark Rabin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabinmark/ 👉 SUBSCRIBE for more sustainability and clean energy content from inside the entertainment industry.

    40 min

  6. Apr 21

    How a Musician Became a Climate Action Concierge: Vienna Teng on Fan Engagement, Hope-Based Storytelling & Using Music to Drive Real Climate Action | The Tie-In

    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 solving. Vienna breaks down how she runs climate action workshops inside music venues, why she intentionally keeps the tone hopeful rather than doom-focused, and what it actually looks like to walk a fan from curiosity to real community impact. Including one fan who stopped a solar ban in her township after a single conversation. She also reflects on her years working in clean energy access and waste diversion systems in the Global South, what she learned that she couldn't have learned from the outside, and why she came back to music as the most powerful tool she had. Topics: climate action, fan engagement, hope-based climate communication, music and sustainability, artist activism, clean energy, behavior change, climate storytelling, indie music, McKinsey sustainability, Grist 50, community solar, waste diversion, Global South, climate innovation 🎙️ Connect with Vienna: 🌐 viennateng.com 📸 Instagram: @viennatengmusic 🎵 Patreon: patreon.com/viennateng 🎙️ Connect with your hosts: Zena Harris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenaharris/ Mark Rabin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabinmark/ 👉 SUBSCRIBE for more sustainability and clean energy content from inside the entertainment industry. #ViennaTeng #ClimateAction #MusicAndClimate #Sustainability #HopefulClimateCommunication #FanEngagement #ClimateInnovation #Grist50 #IndieMusic #CleanEnergy #BehaviorChange #ClimateStorytelling #EntertainmentSustainability #TheTieIn #ArtistActivism #CommunityAction #ClimateHope #SustainableEntertainment

    32 min

  7. Apr 14

    Cardboard Sets, Zero Waste & the Circular Economy: How Nordwerk Design Is Replacing Plastic, Wood & Metal in Film and Event Production | Karmen Hansen

    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 — and why the total cost argument for conventional materials doesn't hold up the way most productions assume. From building the Echo Probe for the opening scene of Alien: Romulus to engineering the CBC Edmonton news desk — which holds a 211lb tabletop and is still standing after a 4-week stress test — Karmen unpacks how this material works, what it takes to get major clients to trust it, and why the circular economy case for cardboard on set is stronger than anyone expects. Topics: sustainable set design, circular economy, film production materials, engineered cardboard, Re-board, zero-waste production, sustainable events, trade show design, set builds, sustainable architecture, film industry sustainability, replacing Luon, cardboard furniture, sustainable construction. 🎙️ Connect with Karmen and Nordwerk: Karmen Hansen, Owner — Nordwerk Design Inc. 🌐 nordwerk.co 📸 Instagram: @nordwerkdesign 🎵 TikTok: @nordwerkdesign 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nordwerk-design/ 🎙️ Connect with your hosts: Zena Harris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenaharris/ Mark Rabin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabinmark/

    30 min

  8. Apr 7

    Building Community in the Age of AI: Jenny Stefanotti of Denizen on Regenerative Economics, Human Agency & the Future of Work

    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 disruption of the labor market, the democratizing potential for indie content creators, and why individual agency may be the most underestimated force for change. A wide-ranging conversation about technology, culture, and what it means to build something that lasts. Connect With Jenny Jenny's Website On Instagram On X/Twitter On LinkedIn Connect with our hosts: Zena Harris on LinkedIn Mark Rabin on LinkedIn

    1h 3m
See All (103)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Behind the scenes, sustainability in action. Entrepreneurs Zena Harris and Mark Rabin talk shop with filmmakers, event producers, and entertainment professionals from around the world in a quest to amplify the voices of people who are innovating, leveraging their influence, connecting ideas, and inspiring crews to make the entertainment we love more sustainable.

Information

  • Creator
    Zena Harris and Mark Rabin
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    103
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Zena Harris and Mark Rabin
  • Show Website
    The Tie-In

You Might Also Like