About

Based in Los Angeles, Vanessa has an extensive experience in documentary filmmaking, editing, producing, photography and video content creation focused on highlighting social change and artivism. After graduating in Film from University of Bologna and being an exchange student at University of California, Santa Barbara, she completed a Post Graduate Program in Entertainment Studies at UCLA, where she focused on documentary producing. Vanessa has worked on several film, commercial, music videos and documentary productions in Italy, the United States and Africa. She has collaborated with Italian national televisions RAI, Bonsai TV and Agon Channel as well as with several Italian film magazines and blogs (CineClandestino, Il Documentario, CineBlog, Velvet Cinema) writing about films, filmmakers and stories with a social interest. She has produced TV segments for the Italian TV RAI during the Oscars, Emmys and Golden Globes shows. Vanessa has been a part of SIMA (Social Impact Media Awards) for many years, as one of the members of the selection committee for documentaries as well as a member of the Los Angeles Press Club. Her 2012 first feature length award winning documentary, Get Together Girls was produced by Italian rockstar Vasco Rossi, and was selected in more than 20 film festivals around the world. Vanessa is a 2014 PrimiDieci Under 40 honoree which celebrates the most distinguished Italian individuals in the U.S. As a freelancer photographer, she has been published on the LA Times, LA Weekly, TIMES Magazine, People Magazine. During the pandemic, with the arrival of her son, Vanessa has shifted into working with her husband, renewed Artivist Nikkolas Smith, being his manager and creative director, working with clients such as Disney, Target, Marvel, American Red Cross, the United Nations. She also does consultations for Marketing and Branding strategies for filmmakers and artists of all kinds.