The Power of Storytelling: 2026 MPA Industry Champion Honoree Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock on Georgia’s Production Future

Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock knows the power of a story well told. Every weekend he preaches the gospel, and he has a keen understanding of how narratives can help shape and strengthen communities, inspire people, and connect them to one another.

“Whether you’re standing behind a pulpit or behind a camera, stories have the power to move people, connect people, and help them see the world differently,” Senator Warnock told The Credits.

That appreciation for storytelling is one reason Senator Warnock has become a strong advocate for Georgia’s film and television industry, that other great engine of American narrative. The Peach State has grown into one of the country’s most important production hubs, supporting everyone from craftspeople and crew members to small businesses and local communities across Georgia.

The Motion Picture Association will honor Senator Warnock with a 2026 MPA Industry Champion Award for his efforts to support the creative community and strengthen an industry that has become a powerful engine of economic growth in Georgia.

In a conversation with The Credits, Warnock discussed Georgia’s rise as a global production hub, the workers and small businesses that power the industry, the importance of storytelling, and why he believes film and television production remains an engine of economic growth for the Peach State. We began by asking Senator Warnock what has made Georgia such a successful production destination.

Senator, congratulations on receiving the MPA’s 2026 Industry Champion Award. You’ve been a longtime supporter of Georgia’s film and television industry. Why has supporting the creative economy been important to you?

Well, Georgia’s a great state, and I love seeing movies and television projects being made in Georgia. It’s been a great partnership, and we should be doing everything we can to strengthen it. The landscape is beautiful. There’s a lot to choose from. And to be very frank, it’s about jobs, jobs, jobs. Economic growth. I’m pro-growth. I want to see our economy thrive and families thrive in it.

Along with being an economic driver, what broader role do you see the industry having in Georgia?

Look, I’m a preacher, so I tell the Gospel story every weekend. Stories are transformative. That’s one reason I have such respect for people who tell great stories. Whether you’re standing behind a pulpit or behind a camera, stories have the power to move people, connect people, and help them see the world differently.

Georgia’s production industry reaches far beyond Atlanta. How important is it that people understand the industry’s impact extends throughout the state?

No question. I live in Atlanta, and I pastor a church there, but I’m from Savannah. Long before I had this office, I remember watching Forrest Gump and seeing him sitting on that bench in a square that I knew very, very well as a kid growing up in Savannah. We have these beautiful, verdant town squares, and seeing one of them appear in such an iconic movie was thrilling. I had no idea, as we got toward the end of that film and the camera settled on that bench sitting in a square that I knew so well, just how excited I would be seeing a piece of my hometown on screen.

It must feel great to see your home state become such a crucial production hub.

It’s been wonderful to see that work built out over the years across Georgia. I’ll tell you this: a mayor from another state literally asked me not long ago what could be done to keep Georgia from eating his state’s lunch when it comes to film production. Sorry, buddy, I can’t help you. We want to take all we can right here in Georgia. Y’allywood. That’s what we call it.  

When people think about film and television, they often think about actors and directors. But the industry supports electricians, carpenters, caterers, drivers, costume makers, visual effects artists, and countless other workers. Why is it important to recognize that workforce?

Absolutely. A film itself is a good analogy. There’s a whole lot happening behind the lights and behind the folks we see on the big screen. And the same is true of the economy and ecosystem of filmmaking. As you point out, we’re talking about carpenters. We’re talking about the people who build sets. We’re talking about caterers and countless other workers and businesses. It touches communities across our state and has a vast economic footprint and impact. That’s one reason I’m proud to co-sponsor the CREATE Act, which is designed to encourage more of that activity. I want to see more of it happen in our state, and I’m hoping we can get the CREATE Act over the finish line sooner rather than later.

Georgia’s success as a production hub didn’t happen overnight. What allowed the state to build such a strong and lasting film and television ecosystem?

I think it started more than twenty years ago, when Georgia began offering tax incentives. We saw early on that those incentives worked. The work that I’m doing now with the CREATE Act builds on that foundation. At the same time, we’ve seen a dip over the last year or two, and while I wasn’t necessarily trying to help that mayor who was worried about Georgia eating his state’s lunch, the challenge now is that our international competitors are eating more and more of all our lunches. We ought to do something about that. That’s why I’m glad to be working in a bipartisan way with a senator from Tennessee. On this issue, we’re working together because it’s bipartisan, it’s smart, and it makes a whole lot of sense.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of Georgia’s film and television industry?

We’ve been doing this for a generation and more in Georgia. Those incentives helped bring productions into the state, but what followed was something even bigger. As a result, you’ve seen an entire infrastructure built out. What Tyler Perry has done in Georgia is transformative. The same is true of Trilith Studios and others across the state. There’s so much happening. Because production has been happening here for so long, you now have talented people on the ground who know what they’re doing. You have experienced crews. You have businesses that understand the industry. You have communities that know how to support production. That’s one of Georgia’s biggest advantages. I want to see more of it. More productions, more jobs, more opportunities, and more economic growth for Georgians.

Finally, you’ve clearly been a movie fan for a long time. Do you have an all-time favorite film or television series?

I’ve always enjoyed watching movies, and now that I have young children, one of my favorite things is just snuggling up under a blanket and watching a movie with them. My daughter and I have a deal. I’ll sit through K-pop concerts and all that if she’ll let me expose her to some early Michael Jackson videos and some of the films that made me laugh growing up. My all-time favorite movie is probably Coming to America. That’s a classic film that never grows old, in my view. The humor is spot-on. As a kid, like a lot of boys, I loved the good-guy-versus-bad-guy stories. I’m showing my age here, but I watched Adam-12 and The Incredible Hulk. That was part of my childhood.

And these days?

These days, I don’t get a lot of time to watch television, but every now and then something breaks through. A few months ago, people kept talking about His & Hers, so I finally watched it. It was set in Dahlonega, Georgia, and after watching all that intrigue and drama unfold in that little town, I felt like I needed to tweet my constituents. I had no idea all of that was going on up there. I thought maybe I’d better go check on everybody.

Woah…I had no idea all THAT was happening in Dahlonega! Better go check on my constituents! #HisAndHersNetflix
😳😉🤣😳

— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) February 2, 2026

Learn more about the 2026 MPA Awards at motionpictures.org/awards

Featured image: WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 29: Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) (C) and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (R) talk to a reporter following a government funding vote at the U.S. Capitol on January 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. Eight Republicans joined every Senate Democrat to block the sweeping federal government funding legislation 55-45, setting up another vote to prevent a partial shutdown at midnight Friday. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)