After 6 years, Illinois film producer has world premiere Thursday in Rockford

After a long and stressful six years, film producer Don Hatton finally will see a red-carpet premiere for his new film (partly shot in northern Illinois) this Thursday night in Rockford.

“The Blacklight” will screen in 20 AMC theaters nationwide, starting with Thursday at Rockford AMC Showplace 16, 8301 E. State St. Doors open at 6 p.m. An intro will take place at 7 p.m., followed by the movie at 7:30.

Dashford Media, a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based production company co-founded by producer Don Hatton and director Nick Snow, has signed a licensing agreement for their movie, “The Blacklight.” Patton was executive producer for the film.

The thriller is described on its website as “a dark, fun, genre-bending ride led by an incredible ensemble of character actors merging elements of crime, mystery, fantasy, horror, and tying it all together with a bow of dark humor.”

Dashford began filming this independent feature film late 2016, wrapping up principal photography March of 2020, just before COVID shutdowns. The movie was shot on location nationwide, from Brooklyn to Rockford and Oregon, Ill.; many of the featured extras were cast from the Chicago and Rockford areas.

“It’s been a six-year process; it’s been wild,” Hatton said in a recent interview. “It’s been a long process, but it’s all good. It’s coming to a head.”

“It’s been an amazing journey making this movie,” he said. “The dedication of our cast and crew spanning over the past 5+ years has been second to none. We’re so happy to be able to share our movie with showings at AMC theaters, especially the Rockford AMC Showplace 16, since we had shot some of the scenes throughout the city and region.”

“The Blacklight” story summary

The new film, which is directed by Nick Snow and written by Snow and Brooks Russell, tells the story of Danny. Despite trying to leave behind a life of crime, Danny reluctantly teams with naïve rich kid Liam and wildcard drug dealer Kit Viper for a robbery that leaves them in possession of a mysterious supernatural artifact with immense power.

Danny and Lucky are two childhood friends working as low-level muscle for an Los Angeles drug ring. After they have a falling out, Danny decides itʼs time for a life change. He moves to New York City and gets a stable job landscaping upstate, but soon finds himself drawn back into crime.​

He attempts to rob one of the houses he landscapes for and ends up forming an unusual partnership with Liam, the rich kid who lives there. Liam suggests robbing a mansion he is familiar with, however, unbeknownst to them, it is occupied by a man guarding an ancient ceremonial garment which holds immense power.

​With the help of another low-life, Kit, they break into the mansion and end up with the garment in their possession. Once its powers are known, the fighting begins, and word quickly spreads among the crime world. Meanwhile, a shadowy cult is hunting for the garment and will stop at nothing to get it.

The film stars Donald Paul, Victor Vehaeghe, J.P. Edwards and Jessica DiGiovanni. The trailer can be seen here.

The production process

The years 2016 – 2020 were spent securing locations, pulling together funding, and shooting as schedules allowed. The team finished up principal photography in March 2020 in New York, just as the world shut down.

However, 2020 did allow the team to focus on the sound design for the movie, where they brought on Ryan McTear to compose the original soundtrack. Ryan had access to the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and his style of writing fit very well with the desired mood of the film, according to the production company. The contrast of the dynamic Baroque style of classical music with dark, comedic humor and quirky characters was a perfect fit.  

2021 brought pockets of film festivals that allowed Dashford Media to screen “The Blacklight.”

Although screenings were minimal due to the pandemic, limited viewing brought attention to the feature film and landed the team discussions with various agents and distribution companies. The decision was made to move forward with Porter Pictures — where Jeff Porter had recently teamed with industry veteran and Disney executive Keith L. Craig to form Porter+Craig Media & Distribution.

Hatton background

Hatton (who earned his bachelor’s from Northern Illinois University) was born in New Jersey and raised primarily near Chicago. In the early 1990s, he was involved in U.S. Special Operations in the Persian Gulf where, as a diver, parachutist, and explosives expert, he performed missions with SEALs, according to his bio.

Because of his unique training, he also worked for the U.S. Secret Service, providing personal protective services for presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, as well as many other U.N. leaders. He was also a member of the Naval Experimental Diving Unit, as an active Naval Reservist. His career in entertainment began when, as a founding member, he was lead singer and guitarist for the band Silt.

The band ended up signing a deal with London Records and Twentieth Century Fox which landed their single ‘Lunatic’ on the “Dude, Where’s My Car?” (2000) motion picture soundtrack. After the breakup of Silt, he went on to perform with the bands Mary Ellis and Seaworthy.

Porter+Craig will work in conjunction with AMC theaters to release “The Blacklight” in theaters spanning the Midwest and West Coast beginning March 25, 2022.

The process was complicated by the Feb. 11, 2022 national release of “Blacklight,” the latest film starring Liam Neeson. He plays Travis Block, a government operative coming to terms with his shadowy past. When he discovers a plot targeting U.S. citizens, Block finds himself in the crosshairs of the FBI director he once helped protect.

For more information on the new “The Blacklight” movie, visit and follow @TheBlacklightMovie on social media.