Traverse City Record-Eagle

Northern Living

July 29, 2012

Composer ready for films

by lisa perkins lperkins@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — There is more than one way to break into the movie business.

Grant Floering doesn't want to be an actor, write scripts or direct big stars. The 22-year-old Traverse City native wants to compose musical scores.

"I really like the creative side of writing music, crafting sounds," said Floering, who grew up in a musical family.

Both parents are graduates of Indiana University's School of Music and have played several instruments in professional ensembles. His mother, Michelle, is also band director for Grand Traverse Academy.

"There was just always music in the house and my parents have been very supportive of anything I wanted to do in music," he said.

Floering played both piano and drums in several bands before graduating from Grand Traverse Academy and while attending Northwestern Michigan College.

His real passion became clear, however, when a friend asked him to write the score for a video he was filming.

"Things just evolved from there," said Floering, now living in Grand Rapids and working as a freelance composer.

To date, Floering has written the musical backdrop for several television commercials, videos and short and feature-length films, including Rich Brauer's "Dogman."

Brauer, owner of the Traverse City based Brauer Productions, says he was surprised when Floering approached him with ideas for a score while he was still filming what he calls a legendary campfire story.

"We often use a lab in Los Angeles for the music in our productions. They use pre-recorded music and license it to us. I hadn't even begun to think about the music," he said.

Brauer, who has known Grant and his father, Glenn, for several years, said he was more than willing to give a listen to the samples Floering sent him.

"Even though he knew nothing about what I was looking for, I thought this is good, really good," he said.

Brauer said there was something creepy yet theatrical about the sound, just what the movie called for.

"He worked his tail off and couldn't have been more professional. He did a tremendous job," he said.

Without hesitation, Brauer said he wouldn't think twice about working with Floering again.

"I just hope that when he is composing for big Hollywood movies, that he doesn't forget about us little guys," he said.

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