Nikki Wantz is a New Orleans-based filmmaker, writer, and storyteller specializing in psychological horror, dark character studies, and emotionally charged narratives. Her work blends cinematic tension with raw human vulnerability, often exploring trauma, obsession, revenge, and the blurred line between justice and madness.

She wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the award-winning short film Mark and Mara, which earned recognition from the George A. Romero Foundation for excellence in writing, directing, and producing. Drawing inspiration from gothic Southern settings, psychological thrillers, and arthouse horror, Nikki creates stories that are unsettling, intimate, and visually immersive.

In addition to film, she develops original multimedia projects spanning fiction, tarot, and digital storytelling under both her own name and the creative alias Vaughn Mercer.