The young DP’s interest in Videography began at an early age when he gained access to a friend’s camcorder and experimented with it in his free time, making short films. By the time Grassi entered high school he had already been working with video for years. It was then that he began volunteering at TV33, his local cable access station in Haverhill, Massachusetts. “At TV33 I learned all the basics of television and it really sparked my interest in production,” says Grassi. Two years later he received the station’s Volunteer of The Year Award. Grassi’s interest in TV production continued to peak when he co-created a high school television show “Krunk.” The show allowed the students of his high school to display their creative video works in a non-studio setting. Grassi explains, “It is very much like a variety show, to this day the show is still going strong.”

Grassi continued to pursue his love of videography at The New England Institute of Art and Communications, where he recently received his associate’s degree. During his freshman year he was hired as a freelance videographer for Subversion Media in Framingham, Massachusetts. It was through this position that he sharpened his skills as a shooter working for such clients as Ben Folds, No Doubt, and most recently a five-camera HD shoot for Ani Difranco. This position showcased Grassi’s talents in a public forum, as his work was aired on such stations as MTV, VH1, and also through a number of nationwide DVD releases.

In the last few years Grassi has also become involved with what he referrers to as, “the complex but extremely rewarding process of making feature length films.” In May 2002, Grassi had his first opportunity to work with Flipside Features as a Camera Operator on the High Definition Feature HENCE THE STARS. Shot in North Carolina and Boston, HENCE THE STARS was directed by Jesse Latham. Executive Producer Johnathan Ruggiero says, “Grassi brought valued years of television experience to the project.” Grassi proved his dedication by studying for over a month with the technical manual for the Sony HDW-F900 CineAlta camcorder that the production was to shoot on. This helped out immensely when Grassi was forced to use his self-taught skills along with the advice of a Sony Technician to fix the camera on set after a tedious shooting day when the camera ceased to function. Because of his dedication the shoot could continue with little delay.

After HENCE THE STARS, Grassi went on to DP another HD short with Flipside Features, BEST FRIENDS, written by Ian Sterling and directed by Johnathan Ruggiero. Grassi’s job on BEST FRIENDS required him to know the HD camera inside and out. On this project he was able to use his creativity while experimenting with the different filters, as well as the camera’s paint box. The colors that Grassi was able to fashion gave each scene a unique tone. “Flipside Features has really given me the ability to use my artistic side and produce meaningful films. I think the education that I have received from both school and on set has helped me to develop my creative side further, and has also trained my eye to see filmmaking from an artist’s perspective,” says Grassi. Of course this artistic perspective comes naturally to him. His mother and father are both visual artists and the medium has surrounded him since birth. “As a child I never thought that I would want to pursue a career in art, until I found the art of filmmaking.”

Nowadays Grassi is the official HD camera expert at Flipside. His job requires him to personally deliver the cameras to the clients, help them set up, and answer any technical questions they might have. Between work, school, and upcoming projects, Grassi has his hands full as Flipside’s resident DP. Doing what he loves makes it all worthwhile says Grassi, “By meeting the people that I have, and by participating in the shoots on a weekly basis, I have grown to love the field even more than I thought I possibly could.”