Meet Davis Nixon & Nikki Finn | Co-Founders/Senior-Editors

We had the good fortune of connecting with Davis Nixon & Nikki Finn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Davis Nixon & Nikki Finn, why did you pursue a creative career?
Choosing an artistic career was by no means intentional, we are just deeply motivated and fulfilled by things that have emotional impact. We both have such a deep love of film and music, and how they have power to evoke complex thoughts and feelings. There have been times where we both get so affected by films that we literally can’t think about anything else for days. Editing turned out to be the perfect career path to not only combine these two passions, but to also allow us to express ourselves to the world.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
So in March of 2020, Davis and I left our jobs as staffed editors at a creative agency. We had an idea to create a post-production company founded on two core philosophies that are deeply personal to us: authenticity and creative experimentation. Yep, March of 2020.

But honestly, despite the less than optimal timing, we were determined to make our dream a reality. We took our time in that bubble and planned what we wanted our company to look like and how we were going to be successful – in every measurable and immeasurable way. We wanted creative freedom and growth, as well as the ability to make an impact in our community and industry.

Yes we knew starting a business during the beginning of a global pandemic was crazy, but we must be doing something right because here we are nearly 4 years later! We literally started in Davis’ basement and now have a full team working in our studio in Southwest Detroit.

Throughout these 4 years, we have learned so much. We discovered early on that the only way to grow a business is by taking risks – financially and creatively. Some are small, and some feel terrifying, but in the long term they have paid off and there is no way we’d be where we’re at if we played it safe. That being said, our friends and colleagues are the only reason we’ve stayed afloat – we’d never have made it without collaboration and community. So while risk is important, if you don’t have support to rely on, the odds will probably be against you.

To sum it up, Reprise Post has one paramount philosophy when it comes to storytelling: “authenticity over everything”. It is so instinctual to us that it eventually became our company tagline. Audiences want real stories, you know? I think this is honestly why clients continue to come back to us. Every time we make a cut in our timelines, our main motivation is always to create a moment that is authentic and not forced or contrived. As a result, audiences strongly relate to what they’re watching and enjoy it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a tough one! It’s so hard to narrow down our favorites – Detroit is SO full of gems.

To bring it close to home, some go-to Mexicantown spots are El Rey (street tacos), El Barzon (Mexican/Italian fusion) Mexicantown Bakery (churros), and Clark Park (walks, ice-skating and tennis). Outside of Southwest, we love Belle Isle/The Dequindre Cut for running, DYNO Detroit for rock-climbing, and The Schvitz for spa and meditation. For bar hopping, we love Checker Bar, Sid Gold’s Request Room, and Cafe D’Mongos. And we have to mention our favorite food spot in all of Detroit – Baobab Fare in New Center. We recommend the Kuku but you can’t really go wrong.

Some honorable mentions include Joe Louis’ Southern Kitchen, Johnny Noodle King, Bash, Eastern Market Brewing Company, Ottava Via, Supino’s, The Redford Theater, and People’s Records.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are countless people that come to mind when thinking of mentors and support we have gotten over the years – but there are two people in particular who stand out to us. Joe Talbot and Jon Braue of Woodward Original & Baseline Post, who happen to be our old bosses. First off, they were the reason we met in the first place. But also they provided a space for collaboration, growth, exploration of our craft and passions, and even supported us branching off and starting our own company.

Website: www.reprisepost.com

Instagram: instagram.com/reprise_post

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/reprise-post/

Other: vimeo – www.vimeo.com/reprisepost

Image Credits
Davis Nixon & Nikki Finn