Documentaries, branded content, narrative television, commercials, websites and digital tools.
Grain & Thunder is a video production company based in North Dakota. We produce documentaries, branded content, and commercial work for clients who want storytelling that holds up — visually and editorially. Every project we take on, we produce from the ground up.
The Team
Derek
Olson
Creative Director
Corey
Long
Producer &
Account Manager
Cutter
Flory
Camera Operator
& DP
Grant
Gathman
Camera Operator
& PA
Nicole
DesRosier
Producer &
Project Coordinator
Derek has spent two decades working in production across journalism, Hollywood, and independent film — from covering the Sochi Olympics to supervising stages at Disney's Maker Studios to producing content that's cleared 100 million views.
He founded Grain & Thunder to build a production company rooted in the place he's from — one that brings a serious editorial eye to every project, whether that's a municipal documentary series or a branded commercial.
Corey Long
Producer & Account Manager
Corey Long grew up in Minot, North Dakota, and spent more than a decade living elsewhere — working in public service, nonprofit leadership, and community advocacy — before choosing to come home. He and his wife are raising their two young boys in Minot, and that decision to return shapes how he thinks about the work.
His career has been built around helping organizations understand what they're trying to say and find the people who need to hear it. He's worked alongside volunteers, business owners, and community leaders across a range of initiatives, learning how much the right message — told plainly and honestly — can move people.
At Grain & Thunder, Corey manages production logistics and client relationships. He's the connective tissue between the creative work and the clients who commission it — keeping projects grounded, on schedule, and true to the goals behind them.
Nicole DesRosier
Producer & Project Coordinator
Nicole DesRosier is a media professional, designer, and community advocate with more than 20 years of experience in broadcasting, communications, social media, and creative design. She is the owner and designer behind Prairie Twister 701, a Minot-based creative business, and previously served as Editor in Chief of Dakota Horse Magazine and Managing Editor of The Dakotan.
A graduate of Minot State University with a degree in Broadcasting, Nicole's career began in television news, where she worked her way up from camera operator to News Director at KMOT-TV, overseeing newsroom operations and storytelling across western North Dakota.
In addition to her media work, Nicole served as Administrator for the Downtown Business and Professionals Association, where she represented and advocated for downtown Minot businesses, coordinated events, and led communication and fundraising efforts.