01
STORY
Technique matters, but it serves the idea. Every image needs a reason to exist beyond looking polished.
Independent Creative Studio · Bristol, Virginia
STORIES FIRST.
EVERYTHING ELSE FOLLOWS.
Dagger Film Production creates cinematic photography, narrative film, and visual direction with one purpose: to make work that feels honest and stays with people.
Behind Dagger
Who We Are
A SMALL STUDIO
WITH A CLEAR VOICE.
Based InBristol, Virginia
FocusFilm · Portraits · Direction
ApproachCinematic · Intentional · Real
Dagger Film Production is an independent creative studio built around the belief that strong images do not have to be loud—they have to be felt. Whether the work is a portrait, a commercial piece, or a narrative film, every decision begins with story, atmosphere, and emotional truth.
Dustin Stinson · Founder / Director
Meet the Director
DUSTIN
STINSON.
Director
Cinematographer
Photographer
Producer
Dustin Stinson founded Dagger Film Production as a place for work that sits between cinema and portraiture. His visual language is grounded in realism—quiet observation, purposeful lighting, restrained performances, and images that allow people to exist without being overexplained.
Based in Bristol, Virginia, he directs narrative projects while creating portraits and commercial visuals for individuals, artists, and brands. The scale may change, but the standard does not: every frame should earn its place.
The Philosophy
WE DON'T CHASE
PERFECTION.
WE CHASE HONESTY.
The goal is not to make every subject look flawless or every moment feel larger than life. The goal is to find what is already true and frame it with intention.
What Guides the Work
THREE THINGS
WE DON'T COMPROMISE.
02
INTENTION
Lighting, lenses, movement, color, and performance are chosen deliberately rather than added for decoration.
03
HONESTY
The strongest work leaves room for silence, imperfection, and the parts of people that cannot be manufactured.
Behind the Name
WHY
DAGGER?
The dagger wrapped in film represents the cut, the choice, and the defining moment inside every story. It symbolizes precision, intention, and the craft behind the frame—not violence, but decisiveness.
The name reflects the work itself: sharp enough to leave an impression, restrained enough to know when not to move.
The Tools
BUILT TO
EXECUTE.
The equipment supports the vision. It never replaces it—but having the right tools allows a small production to move with control and confidence.
RED Komodo Cinema Camera
Sony A7 IV
Cinema Lenses
Professional Lighting
Location Sound
Camera Dolly Systems
Gimbal & Support
Grip & Diffusion
Current Production
DON'T TAKE
ME BACK.
Currently in Pre-Production
A psychological grief drama about addiction, guilt, and the people left carrying what cannot be undone. Written and directed by Dustin Stinson.
Enter the ProductionWork With Dagger
LET'S BUILD SOMETHING
WORTH REMEMBERING.
Portraits, narrative film, commercial visuals, and creative direction—developed with the same attention to story and atmosphere.
Start a Project