Attendees grabbed their free popcorn and drinks to see “Done Waiting,” a Saturday morning matinee at the Laemmle Theater in Newhall on Saturday morning.
The screening was part of Redslate Film’s West Coast leg of its promotional tour that had some Santa Clarita Valley tie-ins.
While Redslate Films is a Pittsburgh-based independent film-production company, it was co-founded by former Santa Clarita resident, former West Ranch High School volleyball coach and the film’s star, Brian Ceponis.
“Done Waiting” is an independent, low-budget crime thriller centered around a man, played by Ceponis, who seeks revenge for those responsible for his wife’s death.
“I had a blast playing my character. He’s one of those characters that something is taken away from him that is very important in his life and he just wants to get his vengeance,” said Ceponis. “It’s always kind of fun playing a revenge film.”
Supporting Ceponis is Stan Rutledge, who plays a detective who attempts to intervene in Ceponis’ character’s vigilantism. Rutledge has been living in the Santa Clarita Valley for over three decades and was involved in the idea to bring the film to the area.
“We were out having a drink and I said, ‘Why don’t we do this literally in Santa Clarita, because we know a lot of people,’” said Rutledge. “So we have 100 people come into this today and I’m hoping that literally after this premiere they’ll keep it on for a run here.”
The film was written and directed by Jesse Hutchins, who makes some cameos throughout the picture. Hutchins said there were some challenges in production, such as funding, but that he was happy that all things came together and that the project finally materialized.
Hutchins said crime thrillers are always his first choice when sitting down to write a script.
“It’s kind of like my go-to when I’m writing. Anything that comes out in the theaters, I gotta see it,” said Hutchins. “Then there’s a bunch of films that kind of gave me inspiration for it.”
Hutchins listed “The Furnace,” “Single Shot” and “Hell or High Water” as the inspirations for “Done Waiting.”
“We’re just happy to be back out here in Santa Clarita. We premiered this film earlier this year in Pittsburgh and it’s just nice to come out to L.A. and show the folks out here … just nice to have an opportunity to be out here and show it,” said Ceponis.
