Editor’s Note: Supporting women should not be limited to a month. So, at Reel Chicago, we have decided to amplify and promote dynamic women’s voices all year long. Beginning today on International Women’s Day, let us introduce you to a very talented editor, Nikki Vapensky.
Nikki Vapensky is a Creative Editor with Hootenanny, with previous editor positions at Whitehouse Post and Daily Planet. With over 30 years in the business, she has worked on campaigns for Always “Like A Girl”, McDonalds, Allstate, Visionworks, Kellogg’s, Aldi, and Disney, just to name a few.
She loves working on all types of projects from emotional to comedic, but finds a special spark in the interesting and quirky. Being an ultra runner, she is also currently editing a documentary about local ultra runners and the “World’s Longest Turkey Trot.”
What’s your Chicago story?
My parents, both from Chicago, moved to Gary because my dad was a steel worker. I was born in the same hospital as Michael Jackson. That was the subject of my dad’s greatest dad joke ever… That we were switched at birth! After some time in Indiana, I moved to the city and have been here for 30 plus years.
How did you break into your industry?
I started as an intern at Swell, where I met so many great people who helped guide me. It’s where I discovered the Avid…I was hooked at that very moment and can still remember it vividly. Shortly after, I was hired at Daily Planet as a receptionist, moved up to assistant 3 months later, then thrust into the edit chair only a year or so after that out of company necessity. It was baptism by fire, but it definitely made me stronger.
How has Chicago influenced your creative journey?
There are so many talented, creative, and hardworking people in Chicago that constantly create across all art forms without pretense. They just do amazing work without all of the BS. That’s big for me and it’s shaped me immensely.
What’s a creative risk you took that paid off?
Remember those “Dude, you’re getting a Dell” spots from the early 2000’s? That line was actually a one-off throwaway that I thought was fun, so I put it in. I guess it worked.
Chicago has given us Michelle Obama, Oprah, Joan Cusack Shonda Rhimes, Linda Kaplan Thaler, Barbara Proctor, Lena Waithe, and so many powerhouse women. What’s it going to take to create even more opportunities for Chicago women?
The continuation of mentorship, and instilling the belief in young minds that anything is possible. The more you believe in yourself, the further you can go. In our industry, I love it when I get the chance to work with young creatives, producers, interns, and assistants. I love it when they ask a million questions. It’s a great feeling to share what has been shared with me.
What’s your take on the rise of AI?
I can’t speak to all of the legal issues because there are people who know so much more than me, but as a tool, it’s just that…another tool. It’s definitely helpful, but I believe that the vast majority of folks will still want human emotion and feeling behind their creative. My husband, Scott always says “Shakespeare had a pen, not tech.”
Are you bringing back Soul Train or American Bandstand?
Soul Train 100%. I still think about that line dance
How do you balance ambition with self-care?
It’s all about time management, which I’ve gotten pretty good at. My brain doesn’t work well as a strict 9 to 5er. I’m a runner and love being outside, so sometimes I’ll use some day hours to do that, then work in the afternoon and evening if the project allows. I keep it as fluid as possible to keep myself energized, focused, and productive.
You’re writing a memoir. What’s the title?
The Woman Who Never Stopped Moving. My family calls me a tornado.
To see who else is a REEL WOMAN click here.
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