You turn on the lights, but nothing happens. You open the tap, but no water flows. Your phone goes dead, and within moments, everyday life starts to shut down around you. Everything you depend on is powered by a system so fragile that most people never think about it until it fails. This highlights a serious risk and why protecting the electric grid has become so important.
David Tice, Producer & Director of Grid Down, Power Up Documentary, focuses on exposing these hidden vulnerabilities in national infrastructure and making them easy to understand.
With his background in filmmaking and deep research into geopolitical and security threats, he explains complex risks like EMPs and geomagnetic disturbances in a simple, clear way.
Through his documentary work and the “Grid Warriors” initiative, he brings together citizens, experts, and policymakers to build awareness and encourage practical action to strengthen and protect the power grid using proven solutions.
From Hollywood to National Security
David Tice has a background in filmmaking and previously served as the executive producer and primary financier of the feature film Soul Surfer, which tells the true story of faith, perseverance, and resilience of professional surfer Bethany Hamilton. He completed the project in 2011 and continued working in film through 2014 to 2015.
Over time, his focus shifted beyond filmmaking toward geopolitics and national security. He closely followed global developments and became increasingly concerned about rising cooperation among countries such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, and the risks these dynamics could pose to critical infrastructure and national security.
A key influence in his thinking came from conversations more than a decade ago with a high-ranking Soviet GRU intelligence officer who had defected to the United States. This experience deepened his awareness of vulnerabilities within essential systems, especially the electric power grid, and raised concerns about threats such as electromagnetic pulse attacks and geomagnetic disturbances that could disrupt civilian life on a large scale.
In 2021, these concerns led him to take on Grid Down, Power Up. He acquired the project after it had been set aside by another filmmaker, and he later partnered with her as an executive producer. What began as a film project gradually evolved into a focused effort to educate the public and policymakers about the importance of protecting critical infrastructure.
Early Moments That Shaped The Direction
The idea for Grid Down, Power Up came after years of studying global geopolitical risks and realizing how vulnerable the United States electric grid is to natural and human-made threats. Major concerns included EMP attacks and geomagnetic disturbances, which can seriously disrupt large parts of the power system.
As the research continued, it became clear that a long power outage would affect much more than electricity. It would impact communication, transport, food supply, healthcare, water, and overall public safety, disrupting almost every part of daily life. A Congressionally mandated EMP Commission concluded that as many as 90% of Americans could die if there were a multi-month extended grid outage, a scenario the documentary demonstrates is indeed possible.
When the opportunity came to take over Grid Down, Power Up, it offered a way to bring attention to an issue most people were not aware of. Over time, the project moved beyond just explaining the risks and began focusing on practical solutions, which became a key turning point in its direction.
Managing Time, Resources, and Financial Constraints in Production
During the production of Grid Down, Power Up, one of the biggest challenges was shaping a fast-moving narrative while clearly explaining a complex issue in a way that was simple and easy for audiences to understand. It required significant time, resources, and financial commitment to bring the film together at the desired level of clarity and impact.
After the documentary was completed and released, the challenge shifted. The focus was no longer just on storytelling, but on ensuring the message reached people and stayed in public attention. Encouraging policymakers and the public to take the issue seriously became the real difficulty, as attention often moved away quickly.
This stage demanded a wider approach beyond filmmaking. It involved consistent awareness efforts, public engagement, and encouraging participation. Since the subject deals with scenarios people often prefer not to think about, reaching audiences required patience, persistence, and continuous communication despite limited attention and hesitation.
A $4 Billion Insight That Changed Everything
About a year after the documentary’s release, a shift in emphasis emerged. While continuing research on the risks to the power grid, he reached an important conclusion that changed the emphasis on the entire project. The threat was serious, but there was also a practical and relatively low-cost solution available. The estimated nationwide cost of around 4 billion dollars was tiny compared to the scale of damage a major disruption could cause.
This discovery changed the emphasis on the work. It was no longer only about raising awareness of a problem but also about presenting a clear and actionable path forward. This led to the decision to re-release the film, with substantial new added footage and a name change to Grid Down, No Second Chance, expanding its reach on platforms like Amazon.
From that point, the mission grew beyond filmmaking. The focus shifted toward informing policymakers, regulators, utility leaders, and the public so they could better understand the issue and support the adoption of proven solutions to strengthen the power grid.
A Practical and Ready-to-Deploy National Solution
The core message from David Tice is to focus on the urgent need to strengthen protection of the United States electric power grid against major threats such as electromagnetic pulses and geomagnetic disturbances. These risks can be significantly reduced by protecting critical transformers from ground-induced current (GIC), which is one of the key vulnerabilities in the system.
The solution is already available and has been tested by national laboratories, the Department of Energy, and the Electric Power Research Institute, with proven real-world effectiveness. It involves a nationwide effort to manufacture and install approximately 6,000 protective devices on the most critical high-voltage transformers across the country, at an estimated cost of around 4 billion dollars.
This is not an unsolvable challenge. The risk is serious, but the solution is practical, tested, and ready for deployment today. With greater public awareness and coordinated action, policymakers and utilities can take timely steps to strengthen the grid and ensure long-term national resilience.
Deep Analysis of Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities
The accuracy and depth of the production are built on years of focused research into global geopolitics and the structural weaknesses of critical infrastructure. The team studied how the electric power grid could be affected by large-scale threats and examined real-world vulnerabilities that could disrupt essential services.
This understanding was strengthened through consultations with experts in national security, energy systems, and related technical fields. Conversations with professionals, including those with intelligence and defense backgrounds, helped provide practical insight into real operational risks.
In addition, the production reviewed detailed technical studies on EMPs, geomagnetic disturbances, transformer protection systems, and grid resilience strategies. The solutions highlighted in the documentary are based on technologies that have already been tested and validated by government agencies, national laboratories, the Department of Energy, and the Electric Power Research Institute, ensuring the work is grounded in real-world evidence and proven science.
The Risk of Complacency
Most people take it for granted that flipping a switch will always bring power. Very few think about how much daily life depends on a stable and reliable electric grid.
One of the biggest risks is complacency. Many people have never stopped to imagine what would happen if they woke up and there was no electricity. Refrigerators would stop working, water systems would be disrupted, communication networks would go down, and transport systems would be affected. Even basic daily routines would quickly become difficult.
Modern life runs on critical infrastructure, and almost every essential service depends on it. This makes its protection not just important, but necessary for everyday stability and safety.
Awards, Media Coverage, and Political Support
The film Grid Down, Power Up has earned 15 awards across various film festivals, reflecting recognition for its message and impact. It has also gained attention from well-known media personalities and public figures who have helped bring wider awareness to the issue.
David Tice, along with Dennis Quaid and Tommy Waller, has participated in interviews and discussions with hosts such as Glenn Beck, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Jesse Watters, Dinesh D’Souza, and Shawn Ryan. These conversations have helped spread awareness about the importance of grid security and infrastructure resilience to large audiences.
The work has also received support from several Texas state legislators and members of the United States Congress, who have acknowledged the issue and expressed constructive support for efforts to strengthen the nation’s power infrastructure.
In May 2025, the warnings provided by Tice’s film & repeated Austin visits by him & other grid warriors, helped carry Senate Bill 75 — landmark grid-protection legislation carried by State Senator Bob Hall — to passage in the Texas Legislature.A major briefing was also held on Capitol Hill, attended by two Congressmen and more than 100 staffers, plus many Senatorial office visits.
Life Before and After Stepping Into an Entrepreneurial Role
Before Leadership Journey:
- Film investor and executive producer
- Focused on business and entertainment projects
- Interested in storytelling and media
- Concerned about geopolitical issues
- Exploring opportunities across different industries
- Building experience through filmmaking and investing
After Leadership Journey:
- Passionate change agent for national infrastructure resilience
- Mission-driven leader
- Focused on public education and policy awareness
- Leading a nationwide movement of Grid Warriors
- Engaging policymakers, regulators, utilities, and citizens
- Working toward practical national solutions
- Greater sense of purpose and legacy
- Deeply committed to protecting future generations
Snapshot of Daily Routine
- Early Morning (6–8 AM): Reviews news, geopolitical and energy updates, and prepares priorities for the day.
- Start of Workday (8–10 AM): Handles emails, coordinates with partners, and manages advocacy communication.
- Midday (10 AM–2 PM): Attends meetings, interviews, podcasts, and discussions with experts and policymakers.
- Key Work (2–6 PM): Drives campaigns, supports Grid Warrior initiatives, and manages outreach and media efforts.
- Evening (6–9 PM): Studies grid security updates, tracks projects, and connects with collaborators.
- Night (9 PM onwards): Watching sports, dinners with friends/family, exercise, watching great programming, and preparing for the next day.
Advice for Filmmakers and Leaders
David Tice advises emerging filmmakers and entrepreneurial patriots to choose work, or significant side projects, that truly matter and create real impact. He believes meaningful work is not always easy, but when it is driven by purpose rather than money or recognition, it becomes easier to stay committed even during challenges.
He also advises not to avoid difficult topics. According to him, important issues are often uncomfortable, but real change begins when people speak about them honestly and openly.
Most importantly, David Tice advises that storytelling should go beyond awareness. It should guide people toward practical action, because lasting impact happens when awareness turns into real-world change.
Quick Takes
1. One tool or app you would recommend to professionals in your industry:
Email and digital advocacy platforms that enable citizen engagement and communication with policymakers.
2. One quote that motivates you the most:
“To whom much is given, much will be required.”
3. One piece of advice you would offer to upcoming entrepreneurs or future business leaders:
Find a mission bigger than yourself and dedicate your energy to creating meaningful change.
4. One movie or book you recommend everyone in business or leadership should experience:
Soul Surfer
David Tice’s 5 Impactful Business Mantras
- Choose work that truly matters, because purpose sustains you when challenges arise.
- Focus on real-world impact, not just recognition or financial gain.
- Do not avoid difficult problems; lasting change begins with honest conversations.
- Turn awareness into action by helping people understand what can be done.
- Build solutions that bring people, experts, and leaders together for meaningful change.
