Women Behind the Scenes Spotlight: Vanessa Piazza

Today’s Women Behind the Scenes spotlight is shone on Executive Producer Vanessa Piazza.

Canadian native Vanessa got her start like so many others in the business, landing her first production gig as an associate producer on the 2008 mini-series XIII: The Conspiracy that starred Stephen Dorff (Blade) in the lead role as well as Greg Bryk (Bitten), Stephen McHattie (Haven), Jessalyn Gilsig (Glee and Vikings) and film veteran Val Kilmer.

That mini-series eventually became a TV series – XIII: The Series – that starred Stuart Townsend in the lead role along with Bryk and McHattie reprising their roles and included Aisha Tyler (Archer, Criminal Minds and The Talk). Vanessa started out as an associate producer, but quickly moved up to the position of producer for the two seasons that the show aired in 2012.

Vanessa actually worked double duty for several seasons because she landed a job as an associate producer on the first two season of Lost Girl; then she was promoted to co-producer, producer and eventually executive producer of the show over the course of its final three seasons on the air.

Last year, she served as executive producer on the Canadian horror flick The Dark Stranger that starred Katie Findlay (The Killing and How to Get Away with Murder), Stephen McHattie and Veronica Mars alum Enrico Colantoni; and she was also an executive producer on the Canadian film The Other Half that starred the exceptional actress Tatiana Maslany (of Orphan Black fame).

As of last season, she has been working as executive producer on the Canadian series Dark Matter that recently returned for its second season on Syfy at the beginning of this month.

You can follow Vanessa on Twitter @Vanessa_Piazza_.