About Tell Studios

Tell Studios started with a simple frustration.

After years of producing video for other people's brands, Ryan kept noticing the same problem — a lot of beautifully shot videos were doing nothing for the businesses that paid for them. The footage was fine. The story was missing.

So he built a company around fixing that.

Twenty years and a thousand-plus projects later, we're still here, still doing it the same way: story first, then the camera. We call it video with soul. And we work with brands who care about whether their videos actually do something — not just whether they look good.

Ryan and the Tell Studios team mid-shoot

Meet the team

Small on purpose. Each of us wears a few hats, and we like it that way — it means the person you talk to on day one is still around on day forty-five.

Ryan Koral

Founder

With over 20 years as a documentary filmmaker and entrepreneur, Ryan is all about crafting authentic stories that inspire action and drive business growth. He's the mastermind behind Tell Studios' "video with soul" approach.

Happily married for 23 years (yes, his wife still loves him!), Ryan's a proud dad of three kids and one cuddly pup named Koda. When he's not dreaming up big ideas, you'll find him cracking dad jokes, hanging with friends and family, or in the middle of a meaningful conversation.

Fun factsYoda impression expert. Audible addict. Lover of Peanut M&Ms and Reese's Cups.

Nick Stevenson

Lead Editor

From studio assistant to Lead Editor, Nick's journey at Tell Studios is a testament to his passion and skill. He's the one transforming raw footage into compelling stories that captivate audiences — and he makes it look easy.

Nick's love for filmmaking started in high school media production classes and never let up. His experience both behind and in front of the camera brings a unique perspective to every project. When he's not at the studio crafting perfect cuts, Nick's probably at the gym, belting out tunes, or diving into the latest blockbuster for "research."

Fun factsTriple threat — editor, cameraman, and actor. Self-proclaimed karaoke champion. His dad was Ryan's college professor (small world).

Randy Verano

Executive Assistant

Randy keeps Tell Studios running — seamlessly switching between finance, admin, training, and occasionally, unofficial studio mascot. If something needs organizing, tracking, or gently nudging forward, she's already on it.

Her instinct for helping others succeed led her into training early on, and eventually into the Executive Assistant role, where her reliability and problem-solving skills keep the rest of us from falling apart. Don't let the "gets stuff done" energy fool you — outside of work, Randy is a full-on dance machine.

Fun factsDoesn't drink coffee (yes, really). 80% of her playlist is Korean, despite not speaking the language. Her dad played one of the goons in late '90s action movies.

Bill Solina

Project Manager

Bill loves strategy games, and he brings the same mindset to work — figuring out how all the pieces fit, keeping projects running smoothly, and turning production chaos into something that actually makes sense.

He started at Tell Studios as a graphic artist, and while his design skills got him noticed, it was his attention to detail — and his tendency to overthink — that made him a natural fit for project management. (A curse in life, a superpower in production.)

Fun factsCan draw Pokémon from memory. Can name almost every sports bike. Has a daughter who calls him "dude."

What we stand on

Humble. Hungry. Heart.

Three values shape how we work, who we hire, and which projects we take on.

The team, in our words.

Tell Studios

Humble

Stay grounded, keep things light and fun, and always be the loudest cheerleader for others' victories.

Hungry

Let your passion light the way, dive into the deep end of opportunities, and always be the first to yell, "I'm in!"

Heart

Show off your emotional muscles, listen with the empathy of a best friend, and build a work family you'd happily invite to your backyard cookout.

The Studio

Yes, we have an actual studio.

Five thousand-plus square feet in Orion Township, Michigan — built for everything from intimate interview shoots to multi-camera live streams. We use it for client productions, Storyline Workshops, Transformation Stories, and the occasional team karaoke session (mostly Nick).

When it's not booked for our own projects, we rent it to other creators, podcasters, and businesses looking for a clean, flexible space to film in.

Learn about Studio Rental →

Trusted by

The brands we've helped tell their story.

★★★★★

The process we went through helped us see stories we didn't know we had. These guys are in media, they know what makes for a good story, and we plan to do more of this sort of work.

Scott AndersonCommunications Manager

★★★★★

Tell Studios is incredible to work with. The team is very professional and did an excellent job capturing and crafting the perfect story. We could not be happier with the end result!

Chelsea Thomas

★★★★★

Ryan and his crew underpromised and overdelivered with every touch point of our two-day work together. Amazing facility, awesome energy and knowledge.

Kyle Junck

★★★★★

Tell brings such an incredible perspective to the whole video storytelling process.

Angela MinicuciPartner, Bellwether PR

★★★★★

Tell Studios did a phenomenal job helping our agency put together a video for our annual event. I would recommend them to anyone!

Ann Bush

★★★★★

Ryan and the team at Tell Studios are amazing! They did such an awesome job with the Partnership Dinner production for Rochester University.

Steve Moore

Let's talk

Want to see if we're a fit for what you're working on?

The fastest way to find out: a quick call. We'll listen, ask some questions, and tell you honestly what we'd do in your shoes — even if that's "you don't actually need video right now."

Book a call → Take the Story-Driven Video Score

Not ready for a call? The quiz is five minutes, straight answers, no pitch at the end.