Remembering the 1986 efforts to make Tennessee a movie-making hub

Summary by The Nashville Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Forrest Sanders, NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) · July 22, 2026 · 4 min read

I was looking through a NewsChannel 5 archive tape from 1986 and saw something from exactly 40 years ago. It was Oscar-winner Sir Ben Kingsley speaking to a crowd under a tent in Tennessee. It was the launch of Century Motion Picture Studios Incorporated. A Chicago Tribune article from the time s...

Why this matters in The Nashville

The failed effort to establish Century Motion Picture Studios Incorporated in 1986 serves as a reminder of Nashville's ongoing struggle to establish itself as a major film production hub. Despite then-governor Lamar Alexander's efforts to set up a film commission and attract big productions like StarMan and At Close Range, the city has consistently lost talent to other southeastern cities like Charlotte, Orlando, and Atlanta. The success of local advertising agency Carden & Cherry and the Ernest P. Worrell character, however, demonstrates that Nashville does have a pool of creative talent. The question now is whether the city can learn from its past mistakes and find a way to retain and attract more film industry professionals. As the city continues to grow and evolve, it will be important to watch how local leaders and entrepreneurs work to support and develop the film industry in Nashville.

About this story

Original reporting by NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate). The Nashville surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate). Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: local · Published: July 22, 2026 · Source: NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) · Reading time: 4 min

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Summary created by	The Nashville Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Original reporting	Forrest Sanders, NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate)
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 22, 2026
Indexed here	Jul 22, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

Remembering the 1986 efforts to make Tennessee a movie-making hub

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