Howell Upchurch
Founder & Head of Development
Howell Upchurch is the co-founder and head of development for Centaurus Entertainment, LLC, an Atlanta based entertainment development company. For more than 25 years Howell has produced and directed nationally acclaimed film and video programs, establishing a strong reputation for production and project development excellence.
As President of The Visual Arts Group Howell has directed and produced multiple award winning projects, including numerous nationally broadcast television specials, music videos, commercials, and corporate programs. As a producer Howell has worked with such industry leaders as IBM, Coca-Cola, Oki Telecom, GMAC, Marriott Corp., and RARE Hospitality. He’s also produced a piece for RCA Records covering the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers concert tour.
As a director Howell helmed the tv movie, ALL AMERICAN COWBOY (starring Ben Johnson, Chuck Connors, Clint Walker, and Ken Curtis), and has had the pleasure of directing such luminaries as James Earl Jones, Peter Graves, and Mariette Hartley, along with a series of promos and TV spots for Geraldo Rivera. Howell is a US Air Force veteran and studied commercial art at Virginia Western College.
John C. Hall
Chief Marketing Executive
John C. Hall is a film, television, and theatrical producer as well as a published author. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President of Distribution & Marketing at Universal Pictures. His tenure in entertainment has seen him working on the marketing and distribution campaigns for over 408 theatrical releases, including major franchise titles, Oscar winners, and dozens of mega blockbusters.
Currently, Hall is a producer on several feature films with his partners at Cardinal Trio Pictures. Additionally, he is an independent producer on the coming of age campus comedy, PLEDGE TRIP; the contemporary Southern Gothic psychological thriller, THREE LOUD KNOCKS; and a wedding comedy, THE TOKEN GROOMSMAN, which he co-wrote based on his original story idea.
Hall’s passion for the big screen carries over onto the stage. He was a producer of MACBETH, the award winning critically acclaimed Broadway production starring Alan Cumming. He also was a producer of the Deaf West production of SPRING AWAKENING. The production started with a Los Angeles run which earned over a dozen Ovation Award nominations including Best Musical. The production then transferred to New York and received multiple Tony nominations including Best Musical Revival.
Hall’s altruistic side motivates him to serve on charity boards and as a jury member at various international film festivals. This spirit of altruism is what drove him to both write the book Your Hollywood Pro: How To Make It In The Movie Business Without Selling Out and co-found Your Hollywood Pro, a unique non- profit mentorship organization that brought aspiring filmmakers together with seasoned entertainment industry veterans. . Hall is an advisor to the executive team at Slated.com – the premier film finance and distribution platform for independent filmmakers and is a special consultant to the Board of Directors for APX Group, an American-European media fund.
John M. Garrigan
Co-Founder & Head of Operations
John Garrigan is co-founder and head of operations and client relations for Centaurus Entertainment, LLC, an Atlanta-based entertainment development company and also serves as an executive producer. With over 35 years of senior executive management experience in a wide range of private and public companies, John brings a diverse business acumen and strong background in operations, marketing, public relations, project management and client engagement.
Through his work in marketing and communications, John has created an extensive portfolio of creative and polished corporate video productions and sales presentations. He is a highly energetic and enthusiastic business leader with a passion for results, strategic thinking, and collaboration.
John earned a Master’s in Business Administration with distinction from Georgia State University’s nationally-ranked Executive MBA program.