Meet the Filmmakers
Dolce Studio Films is a group of professional shooters and editors who appreciate how special your day is to you. We're friendly and fun and we care about your memories. While each of us brings our own personality to your project, the filming and editing style is strongly united under the studio's collaborative aesthetic. This results in films that capture the sentiment of the moment while remaining consistent in standard and quality from one film to the next.
We look forward to working with you! Please click on a photo to read our bios and learn more about us.
Haynal Papp
owner, dolce studio films
Shooter/Editor
Haynal Papp is the owner and founder of Dolce Studio Films and creator of Me&You Video. An artist, history buff and traveler, she found direction for her passions and energy in video documentary. She is involved in every aspect of the business, from talking with clients before the wedding, to shooting the wedding and editing the video. A perfectionist, she has put together a strong collaboration of artists, represented here.
"Dolce Studio Films is the culmination of my experiences as an artist, student of history and a traveler. As an artist, I am always shooting with composition, lighting and movement in mind. As a student of social history, I shoot to tell the story of the day and to immortalize the beauty, emotion and intimacy of the event in a tangible form that can become a family heirloom. As a traveler, I shoot to capture the details of a site and event that locate that place for the couple, in customs, traditions and details that make the space relevant. I love my job because I get to capture the best moments of life on film and give those moments back to those people they mean the most to. As for my team, all I can say is this: Success is the product of many, not one."
Stephanie
Shooter
Stephanie studied design at Radford University and art at Middlesex University in London. A gifted painter and photographer, she brings an eye for composition to the shoot and has a natural forte for capturing beautiful moments on film. A consummate professional, she is also a winning people-person.
"I simply love weddings, and I say it all the time! I enjoy seeing people so happy and knowing that I am capturing forever on film the day they will remember always. For this reason, I'm always striving to capture the best images of an event.
Whether I'm shooting a mehndi ceremony, or a parent lifting their child's veil, or the flower girl throwing her petals with reckless abandon after the ceremony, you can bet I won't miss the shot. And I love the people end of my job too. After talking to the client, I get a feel for what images they want and how they want to remember the day. I try to put myself in my couple's shoes and capture what they want to see. Having been a bride, I can empathize with the chaos of the day!"
Caitlin
Shooter
Caitlin received her International Baccaleaurate Certificate in Art, her concentration was the human form. She now channels her artistic energy and her eye for form through the video camera lens, capturing beautiful footage of couples celebrating their special day.
"I love filming. Looking for beautiful composition, form and lighting and doing it all spontaneously while people are engaged with their emotions and the activity and excitement of the day gives me a real thrill. I especially love sharing in the happiness of a wedding day and knowing that my work is a real gift for the couple and for their families."
Ernest
Shooter/Editor
Ernest graduated from George Mason University in 2003 and has a passion for editing which he brings to the dolce studio films team. Having always been interested in the production side of tv and film he has studied studio production, editing, and field production at Arlington Independent Media as well as receiving editing training from Henninger in Arlington, VA. Ernest has celebrated his talents in numerous interesting and challenging projects. He was Assistant Director and Assistant Editor for one of the films of the 48hour Film Project in Washington DC during 2007. He is also the editor for Verdant Power's Energy Project and created the documentary style promotional video that was screened in the New York's Mayors office to launch an alternative energy initiative using cutting edge technology. Ernest brings his talents to dolce studio films as both a shooter and an editor.
"Life is unique for every individual on earth as seen through their eyes. Film is the only medium that allows you to capture and keep specific portions of your experiences, those you consider special, to be replayed and relived as many times as you'd like throughout your life. Weddings are a moment in time where two individual people have walked separate paths and on that day and at that moment they merge those path into one and the begin to share a journey together. I feel special to be invited to capture this special moment for them. Editing allows me to put together a story that had no script and was 100% genuine and is unique for every single couple. Knowing that your work will be viewed and shown for years to come makes every minute of editing worthwhile."
Liz
Shooter/Editor
Liz's interest in video started as an extension of her journalism background, and has quickly become her primary medium. She has produced video content for The Washington Post and Seattle Times websites, and worked with reporters to create multimedia content for KOMU-TV's website. A graduate of American University, Liz received her Master's degree from the University of Missouri's acclaimed journalism school with a Master's in Multimedia Journalism. She employs a documentary style for all of her news work, which has given her the patience to wait for the perfect moment as well as the ability to blend into the background.
"I consider it a privilege to document weddings - I know I get to witness a day that the couple will remember forever. I take such pride in knowing that the details and moments I capture will be a permanent document of the marriage, something to review on anniversaries, holidays, and rainy days for a lifetime."
Kris
Shooter
Kris Unger has been working in video since 2001, with a primary focus on nature documentaries, which he has shot for the Sierra Club and the Potomac Conservancy. He's currently working on a documentary about the Potomac River. He's involved with several local film groups, has participated in DC's popular 48 hour Film Festival and was DP for the short film, Somnium, released in 2002. He is also a shooter for Verdant Power's Energy Project and filmed the documentary style footage used in the promotional video screened by the New York's Mayors office to launch an alternative energy initiative using cutting edge technology."
"I enjoy finding the details of a wedding, the intimate moments. Shooting weddings is a lot like shooting films, but the action is spontaneous, rather than directed. The challenge is to be able to read what's coming next and to be ready for the shot before it happens. I also find that most weddings have a story to them, and as I'm filming, I try to learn that story and tell it through the camera."
Rena
Shooter/Editor
Rena graduated with honors from Florida A&M University's broadcast journalism program in 2006. While in college she interned at the university's television station, as well as assisting a production company with their live broadcasts. While working in live productions has prepared her to capture all of the intimate and spontaneous details of a wedding, she discovered that editing was her true passion. It married her love of television production, with her passion for creativity. Her talents were quickly recognized by her college professors when during her junior year, a documentary that she edited was chosen for the schools "Artists in Bloom" Festival. Excited to do what she loves, she joined the dolce studio films family after graduating and moving back to her home town.
"I love editing... and weddings are one of the most important experiences of our lives. Being in the presence of true love, capturing it, and telling each couples' individual stories is such a significant responsibility, one that I take great pride in."
Natasha
Shooter
Natasha graduated from St. Petersburg State University in Russia prior to moving to the USA in 2000, where she completed photography classes at Thomas Jefferson Community Center in Arlington, VA and began her career in digital video documentary. She has worked as a video journalist with two video companies prior to joining the dolce studio films team and has a wealth of on-site experience capturing weddings, mitzvahs, and other special events. She has significant production experience as well, both in editing video and in troubleshooting the technical aspects of the post-production process. Also a professional photographer, Natasha has published her work in the magazine "Clavier" as well as having it published on many websites, including the Loudon Times-Mirror, Eric Himy's webpage and the Sahara Dance website. She has shown her work at the Ellipse Gallery and brings her artistic eye to the events captured by dolce studio films.
"I enjoy being an observer and spending time just looking at people and all things beautiful. A camera is a great excuse for staring! It gives you the freedom to watch and wait and to capture the moments that tell a story. I enjoy the challenge of capturing those special moments, the exchanges between people and the appreciation of a beautiful thing. With video, one has the ability to document movement and the series of frames that brings that moment to fruition."
Kian
Shooter/Editor
Kian has been working with video for over ten years now and doesn't plan on stopping any time soon. He started editing when in high school by splicing TV shows with music to create crude music videos. They started simple but soon took flight in college where George Mason helped him refine his skills with a degree in Digital Arts and a minor in Film. After graduation he has worked on political advertisements for senators, training videos for the NFL, weddings, and national television shows in rolls from production assistant to editor.
"My favorite work has to be weddings. How can you get tired of people telling you that your work made them cry with happiness?"
Erin
Shooter
Erin received a degree in International Studies from the University of Wyoming. Along with her passion for travel and experiencing new cultures, Erin has always had an interest and drive to express herself artistically. Her main medium of interest is painting, which frees her to capture an image while adding a unique twist. Erin now looks to capture what she once saw as a single beautiful moment as a sequence of beautiful moments, through the medium of film.
"I love seeing a couple come together to celebrate their true love with those that matter the most around them. I believe it to be a great privilege to have the opportunity to capture the beautiful and precious moments of a wedding. As a child I loved looking at family photographs of weddings from the different generations and now love having the opportunity to capture those moments on film, moments which become a family heirloom that will last generations."
Will
Shooter/Editor
William Karell graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in May of 2004. He has worked in the DC video production industry for the past seven years working on independent documentaries, music videos, museum exhibit media and political commercials.
It's wonderful to work with these unique and touching moments. I love working with couples to achieve their dream wedding video and I am humbled to be a part of them. It's an honor to be part of these wonderful experiences as well as such a highly sought after video company.
Tracey
Shooter
Tracey received her Bachelor of Arts from St. Bonaventure University and Masters degree from Nazareth College. While living in and travelling throughout Europe for three years, she developed a new appreciation for the arts and style trends. As a result, Tracey began to develop her creative side, through jewelry design and fashion. Tracey now uses her creativity to capture memories on film, while enjoying the classic, yet trend setting elements of beautiful weddings.
"I love to capture the uniqueness of each couples' special day. I love to see the details which define the couple and weave a story about their love. I tell their story as they would want it told- in their specific style. I have been a bride, so I know the busyness and excitement of the day. I will work with you to make it stress free!"
Katie
Shooter/Editor
Katie discovered her passion for filmmaking at James Madison University where she majored in Media Arts, with a focus in digital video editing. After a year working at a major post-production house in D.C., she decided to give two years of service abroad with the Peace Corps, on the island of St. Vincent. There she continued to document her own experience through video, while sharing her skills with local youth and community leaders. She has developed a quick eye for finding natural design through the camera lens, and creating graphics during the editing process. But to her, the real excitement of this profession is capturing emotions of real people and places.
"Every wedding, like every couple, is unique. Each has their own radiant energy and style, and you can find it reflected in small moments throughout the wedding day. Editing is about discovering that certain style and energy, and thoughtfully piecing together images, carefully timed to music, to make your wedding not just a memory, but a polished work of art."
