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 is the owner and founder of Dolce Studio Films. 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 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 bride's father lifting his daughter'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 think of myself as the bride or groom and what they want to see. Having been a bride, I can empathize with the chaos of the day!"
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 brides and grooms 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 both the bride and groom and for their families."
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 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."
Laura has been working in visual media, with particular emphasis on documentaries, since 1996. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin's prestigious Radio, Television and Film program, where she studied under award-winning filmmaker Paul Stekler. She was involved in the production of several films, including the Emmy-winning documentary George Wallace: Settin' the Woods on Fire, before joing the Television and New Media Department at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington. In 2003, Laura left CPB to focus on hands-on production. She recently produced, directed and edited a documentary about a native community in Ecuador that aired on PBS.
"My experience in documentary camera-work has given me an eye for exploring the rich details of an event as it unfolds. Every wedding is different and I love editing those special moments that make each experience one-of-a-kind."
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."
Kristina has had a love and an enthusiasm for video and editing since childhood. During college she owned her own wedding videography business for three years before moving to the DC area and joining the dolce studio films team. She has taught video and production classes to high school and middle school students at a public high school and at a summer program at Georgetown University. Kristina has a Bachelor's degree in Humanities and film. Her artistic and educational background enables her to approach an event with a patient and sensitive eye that is eager to capture the individual and unique story of each wedding.
"I love to film and edit weddings because of the inherent excitement, beauty and tradition in each event. The wedding day is so valuable in the life of the couple. I try to approach the day with sensitivity to the natural occurrences that make that day belong to the bride and groom. The circumstances that happen on the sidelines that the bride and groom would not be able to see are my favorite. The day is filled with so many emotions for them it is a privilege to create an archive of their wonderful day!"
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."
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."
Jen began her experience as a videographer back in college at Indiana University, where she took courses in broadcast television, digital video, and DVD authoring. She received her degree in Media Arts in 2004. She then went back to school and studied to get her audio engineering degree from the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences in Arizona, which she completed in June of 2006. She has since worked in the audio/visual field exercising her passions as a multimedia artist for companies such as Cue Recording Studios, Ltd., Capital Reporting Company, AVActions, and now Dolce Studio Films.
"I love the feeling of being a part of one of the happiest moments in a couple's lives together. Being able to document that so that they can look back on it and cherish those memories forever is an incredible experience for me. It's so fulfilling to be able to do that for someone else."
Lilliana graduated from George Mason University in 2000 with a degree in Literature and has been fueling her creative outlets ever since. Mixing her organizational abilities with a flare for the artistic, Lilliana worked in public relations and helped manage special events in the Washington, DC market, including A Capitol Fourth which airs each July 4th on PBS. She has helped raise money for a nonprofit organization that provides microfinancing to women-owned small businesses in third world countries. She enjoys working on projects that have a direct and lasting impact. In addition to her creative talents, she is fluent in Spanish and has an impressive grasp of French.
"Weddings remind me that love is a constant entity in everyday life. Being one of the first people to be contacted by an interested couple is welcoming and exciting. I get to hear what needs to be captured and the little details that will come alive on the special day, and for years after."
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."