Violet's “Squeaky” Arrives in Los Angeles
By Matthew Becerra
William Strobeck and Patrick O’mara were the first of the Violet team to show up to the premiere, talking with fans, taking pictures and signing autographs. Photo by Christian Magdaleno
On June 8 more than an hour before the doors opened, skaters, fans, friends and family members were already waiting outside the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills to see “Squeaky”, Violet Skateboards' first full-length video.
By the time the theater filled, all 410 seats were occupied. Conversations echoed through the room as attendees speculated about what they were about to see. People shouted across rows, greeted friends and settled in for a project that had been quietly in the works for years.
For Violet founder and filmmaker William Strobeck, the premiere marked the last stop in a process that had been years in the making.
"I'm super excited," Strobeck said before the screening. "We've worked on this for three years, only a small amount of people have seen it. Now the West Coast gets to see it."
Strobeck added that he finished editing the full-length video only two weeks ago.
Since launching Violet in 2021, Strobeck has assembled one of skateboarding's more popular teams with young skaters. It began after he started filming with what he described as a "new group of kids" in New York City and Philadelphia for Supreme.
Some of Violet’s riders first gained mainstream attention through Michael Nicholas’ video “UNTITLED” in 2020, establishing a bond that would help bring the team together.
Strobeck gave a special shoutout to Lucas Desmarescaux, one of the youngest riders on the team who has recently traveled from New York to Philadelphia and now LA. Photo by Christian Magdaleno
Just before the screening began, Strobeck took the stage to thank everyone for coming. He singled out riders and supporters who helped make the project happen before inviting the entire Violet team onstage to a loud reception from the crowd.
The screening itself was delayed nearly an hour beyond its scheduled start time.
When the lights finally dimmed, the theater erupted in clapping and shouting.
Throughout the roughly hour-long runtime, cheers regularly interrupted the film, introductions for skaters drew reactions from the audience before they stepped on screen. Every notable make and NBD was met with applause. The loudest eruption of the night came during Kader Sylla's long-awaited part, which many attendees had been anticipating for months.
Among them was fan Max Burberry, who drove from Encino to attend the premiere.
"I cannot be more excited," Burberry said before the video began. "I've been looking forward to this all week."
The sections he was looking forward to the most were Joe Campos and Sylla’s parts saying he has waited years to see a new part from Sylla and excited to see what Campos footage looks like with Strobeck editing.
While every rider delivered very memorable footage and had large reactions from the crowd, performances from Campos, Kris Brown and Sylla drew some of the biggest reactions. The audience remained engaged throughout the entire runtime, saving one final eruption for the credits.
For Violet rider Patrick O'Mara, the Los Angeles premiere carried additional significance.
"I never even thought about having a premiere in my hometown," O'Mara said before the screening. "It's a very cool experience. It's cool that the kids who grew up here get to see it and get to be a part of it."
O'Mara noted the contrast between Violet's roots on the East Coast and the size of the LA skate community.
"New York is such a small community," he said. "Out here, there's so many skaters and so many people. It's just awesome."
The size of the crowd reflected that enthusiasm. Roughly 100 attendees were friends and family members connected directly to riders and the brand, while hundreds more came simply because they wanted to experience the premiere alongside others.
Once the credits rolled, attendees spilled onto Wilshire Boulevard, gathering in groups outside the theater to discuss favorite tricks and congratulate riders. Conversations continued well after the screening ended as people relived moments from the video.
As a final touch, Violet handed out rubber ducky keychains to attendees, giving everyone a small keepsake from the night.
The premiere served as both a celebration and a statement for Violet's identity and Strobeck’s vision for the team's roster.
