Who is Wolfram Gruss?
I’m a professional song writer and music composer and currently live near Frankfurt, Germany. I’ve been making music my whole life, but have always been looking for different ways to express myself artistically. Probably that’s heritage as there have been a lot of professional paintors and sculptors in my family. I started my work career actually with a photography apprenticeship, then turned over to study filmmaking, focused on Animation, worked as a freelancing film maker for a while, later as a studio engineer and then came back to make music full time. I still teach film making at the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt, Germany as a side job. Besides being a song writer and composer for hire, I also produce my own two artist projects PNFA and Spoq.
How did you start on the music production?
When I was about 6 years old, I started to be fascinated by any electronic sound and instrument. I’ve begun to make remixes on tape from Songs that I liked, simply by rearranging parts of them when I was about 9. At some point I received a little Yamaha Keyboard for Christmas and my dad was bulding a Synthesizer in the basement as a hobby. I played around and recorded a lot with that. Finally aged 14 I bought my first computer in the 90s (Commodore Amiga 500) and from that on built and continously extended my studio and produced records. My first official release on a record company under the artist name PNFA was in 2001.
Who has influenced you through your artistic life?
Probably one of the biggest influences in my teenage life was Techno DJ Tillmann Uhrmacher (rest in peace), who used to have a radio show with what was at that time underground electronic music. You have to consider, I grew up in a tiny village with no access to a record store. So this was kind of my window to the world of the edgy electronic music, that really fascinated me. I’ve always been a big fan of Amon Tobin and the labels Ninja Tune and Warp, too. Now, the music I produce for myself mostly just happens. I don’t think about it, I get an idea and then just do whatever I feel like. Here you could say, anything and anyone emotionally influences me. Hanging out in other fellow artist‘s studios and nerding around also gives me a big push. I also travel a lot.
How did you start your work with DJI?
They hired a drone pilot, whom I’ve known for a while to record and edit a few videos and he asked me to help him with the music. At first they just licensed some already preexisting tracks from me, but at the WRC Monte Carlo video, I felt the urge to push further and invest some time, because we wanted it to be just great! There’s a big difference if you edit footage and then just throw some music in. You can do so much more when you actually make sure that both music and image support each other with a strongly composed soundtrack. I think they were happy with the result, so I got hired.
What does mean to you to create the music for DJI WRC videos?
The great thing about the WRC and also other video soundtracks I produce for DJI is, that they appreciate me as an artist. That means I have the freedom to make the decisions about the music and deliver only when I think it’s done. It is a very motivating and satisfying work relationship. They’re also all super nice people.
Can you tell us any other "big" collaboratios like the one with DJI?
I work with several agencies to create the sound for mixed media fair presentations (VW, Audi, BMW and Porsche so far). I also produce 2-3 full length soundtracks for theatrical and TV documentaries each year. Those are usually the big projects, that also take up a long time. One of my favourite, yet maybe not „big“ collaborations however is with the Städel Institute, which is one of the most renowned art institutes in Germany. I work for them already since 2010 and produced more than 50 soundtracks for art films. The subjects and genres are always completely changing and I’m always free to do what I want, so I can really play around a lot and create really crazy stuff.
What do you think about this collaboration with Envideate in Spain?
I’m excited to see what we can do. I’m always happy to work with young, passionate film makers, who enjoy what they do and look to move their audience.
What do you think about our videos? We think the music is the MOST IMPORTANT THING to start a video production
They look great and also the subjects have a lot of potential! Especially when it comes to sports, the video production has to capture the dynamic and show both the passion and also all the fun involved. And that of course also needs to be reflected in a good soundtrack.
