About Bloodstained Ivory
Title: Bloodstained Ivory
Release Year: 2025
Release Date: June 14
Format: Feature Film
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director: Klein Haley
Starring: Nick Skonberg, Mackenna Shults, Joette Waters
Language: English
Filming Year: 2023
Filming Location: Oklahoma
My Role: Showcase Attendee
Production Company: DEC Productions
Runtime: 1h 56m
Tagline: Sorrowful and great is the artist’s destiny.
Cast: Nick Skonberg (Ross Bennett), Mackenna Shults (Vanessa Lyles), Joette Waters (Professor Veres), LaRonn Marzett (Donovan Fish), Eric Schanker (Kennedy), Aurélien Froissart (Aurélien), Brody Haley (Hastings), Marcie Falcone (Georgia Bennett), John Fannell (Hank Bennett), Ruby Rowe (Rachel Bennett), Cain Graham (Professor Franklin), Ripley Cooley (Faith), Ben Hall (Arthur Parker), Sheila Francisco (Erin Marks), Alberto Gayoso (Lucas Monteiro), Eric Jaekel (Franz Liszt), Hillary David (Faculty Member), Micah Floyd (Bartender), Benjamin Tefera (Security Guard), Johannes Becht (Showcase Attendee), Justin France (Detective Katz), Luis O. Juarez (Chef), Veronica Harjo (Jocelyn), Karlie Haley (Student #1), Kourtney Ryann (Student #2), Ivan Wong (Famous Pianist), Kaylie Fitzpatrick (Vanessa, age 12), Cheryl McConnell (Vanessa’s Grandmother), David Lee Anderson (Vanessa’s Grandfather), Christopher Blanchett (Showcase Attendee), Maggie Burroughs (Audience Member), Gordon Butler (Bar Patron), George Byers (Recital Participant), Scott Downs (Showcase Attendee), Kevan Dunkelberg (Showcase Attendee), Gina-James (Showcase Attendee), John W. Heath (Recital Participant), Jobie James (Bar Patron), Brady Nelson (Bar Patron), Alec Rice (Bar Patron)
Production: Christopher J. Anderson (Producer), Dylan Brodie (Executive Producer), Micah Floyd (Producer), Jacob D. Garrison (Executive Producer), Klein Haley (Producer), Luis O. Juarez (Producer), Martha E. Juarez (Executive Producer), Ramon Juarez (Executive Producer), Kaylin Marie Stanford (Associate Producer), Ashley Stewart (Producer), Sam Taylor (Producer)
Bloodstained Ivory is a psychological thriller centered on obsession, ambition, and the destructive pursuit of perfection. Directed by Klein Haley, the film follows Ross Bennett (played by Nick Skonberg), a talented but increasingly unstable concert pianist whose desire to become the greatest of all time begins to spiral out of control. After a critical failure during his senior recital, Ross is pushed into a downward trajectory—haunted by pressure, rivalry, and the growing realization that talent alone may not be enough.
Set in the high-stakes world of classical music, the film explores a familiar but still unsettling question: how far is an artist willing to go for greatness? Drawing comparisons to Whiplash and Black Swan, Bloodstained Ivory builds tension not only through its narrative, but through its sound. Music is not just a backdrop—it is the driving force of the story. The film’s Dolby Atmos sound design, produced in Oklahoma, creates an immersive experience that mirrors the protagonist’s psychological unraveling.
Premiering at the deadCenter Film Festival in Oklahoma City, Bloodstained Ivory positioned itself as a notable indie production, supported by strong performances from Nick Skonberg, LaRonn Marzett, and Mackenna Shults. The cast underwent months of piano training during pre-production, reinforcing the film’s commitment to authenticity and performance realism.
Within this project, I appear in a supporting background role as a Showcase Attendee, contributing to the film’s recital and performance environment. I was present on set in January 2024 during production in Oklahoma City, shortly before leaving the United States.
Bloodstained Ivory marks one of my final film involvements in the U.S., alongside my own independent short film Pallaton, which I directed and produced. Along with other film projects such as Resurrection Road and Consume, these projects represent a closing chapter of hands-on filmmaking experience before shifting my focus more fully toward digital media, SEO, and AI-driven content strategy.
At the same time, the project reflects a broader continuity in my work: a consistent focus on storytelling—whether through journalism, film, or digital platforms—and an evolving understanding of how narratives are created, distributed, and ultimately perceived.