Bear McCreary

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Bear McCreary
Portrait photograph of Bear McCreary
at San Diego House of Blues 2009
Background information
Born (1979-02-17) February 17, 1979 (age 45)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Genres Film score, orchestral
Occupation(s) Composer
Years active 1998–present
Labels La La Land Records, Sparks and Shadows

Bear McCreary (born February 17, 1979) is an American composer and musician living in Los Angeles, California. He is best known for his work on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series and for the TV series Outlander and The Walking Dead.

McCreary won an Emmy for his main title of Da Vinci's Demons.[1] His most recent Emmy nomination was in 2015 for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for Season 1 of Outlander.[2]

Personal life

McCreary was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and spent most of his formative years in Bellingham, Washington. He is the son of author Laura Kalpakian and professor Jay McCreary of University of Hawaii. He is of Irish and Armenian descent.

McCreary earned degrees in Composition and Recording Arts from the USC Thornton School of Music, and is a classically trained pianist and self-taught accordionist.[3] He studied under the renowned film score composer Elmer Bernstein during which time he reconstructed and re-orchestrated Bernstein's 1963 score for Kings of the Sun. Their collaboration allowed for the complete score to be available as a soundtrack album for the first time in forty years.[4]

He has also directed and produced several music videos for his brother Brendan McCreary's band, Young Beautiful in a Hurry.[5]

McCreary is married to singer/songwriter Raya Yarbrough, with whom he worked on the music of Battlestar Galactica, Defiance, Da Vinci's Demons, and several other projects.[6][7] They have a daughter together named Sonatine after the musical term sonatina.[8]

Career

Television

Battlestar Galactica and Caprica

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Main articles: Music of Battlestar Galactica (reimagining) and Music of Caprica

In 2003, McCreary worked under primary composer Richard Gibbs on the 3-hour miniseries which served as a pilot for the re-imagined series of Battlestar Galactica. When the show was picked up, Gibbs opted not to devote full-time to the regular series' production, and McCreary became the sole composer. He worked on the series until it reached its conclusion in 2009, scoring over 70 episodes. To date, six Battlestar Galactica soundtrack albums have been released, and have garnered a great deal of critical acclaim[9][10] and commercial success. The soundtracks for season two and three ranked amongst Amazon.com's Top 30 Music Sales on their first days of release.[4]

McCreary composed for Caprica, a prequel series set in the fictional Battlestar Galactica universe. On February 18, 2012, McCreary announced that he would compose the score to the 2-hour pilot movie Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome.

Human Target

Bear provided the score for the series Human Target (based on the comic book of the same name). The pilot episode and main theme score had been recorded with a full orchestra.[11] The series has the distinction of being one of the few with largest orchestras on television.

The score to the finale of season 1, "Christopher Chance," utilized the largest orchestra ever assembled for episodic television, and he took the opportunity to re-record the main title theme with a new orchestration with this larger ensemble.

In July 2010, he received his first Emmy nomination for the Human Target main title.[12]

In a post on his blog on July 25, 2010, Bear announced the new creative leadership brought in for season 2 had not asked him to return for it, and he would be leaving the series.[13]

The Walking Dead and The Cape

During Comic-Con 2010, Bear McCreary attended panels for AMC's The Walking Dead and NBC's The Cape to announce he would be composing the score for both television series.[14][15]

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

On July 15, 2013, McCreary announced that he will compose the score for ABC's series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.[16] On September 4, 2015, McCreary released the official Agents of SHIELD soundtrack publicly.[17]

Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem – A Klok Opera

McCreary served as orchestral producer for the rock opera Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem airing on Adult Swim on October 27, 2013. This is a continuation of the Metalocalypse universe following the band Dethklok. The music features a 50 piece orchestra. The soundtrack was released on October 29, 2013.[18]

Films

Bear McCreary made his theatrical feature film scoring debut with Step Up 3D[19] and has also composed the scores for several direct-to-video features, including Rest Stop, Rest Stop: Don't Look Back and Wrong Turn 2: Dead End.

Bear's latest feature film is Knights of Badassdom, released by Entertainment One on January 21, 2014. This is his second movie with director Joe Lynch (of Wrong Turn 2) and third with actress Summer Glau. He acted also a third time in a Joe Lynch, with Everly and was co-artist of the Opening score Soundtrack "Silent Night", which was a Duet with Raya Yarbrough.[20]

Video games

McCreary made an 8-bit rendition of the Dark Void theme, which was, originally, an April fools joke. However, the theme was used for the 8-bit prequel, Dark Void Zero.[21] He composed all the songs in an 8-bit fashion by connecting the wires on an actual NES console and cartridge to create authenticity.

He arranged James Rolfe's The Angry Video Game Nerd "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" parody "You’re a Mean One, Mr. Nerd" for the 2010 Christmas special, with orchestra and 8-bit audio elements.[22]

Discography

Albums

Title Album details
The Music of Battlestar Galactica for Solo Piano
  • Released: September 13, 2011[23][24]
  • Label: BSX
  • Format: CD, digital download

Film soundtracks

Title Album details
Rest Stop: Dead Ahead:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Released: September 18, 2007
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
Rest Stop: Don't Look Back:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Released: October 21, 2008[25]
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD, digital download
Chillerama Presents Zom-B-Movie Soundtrack
  • Released: November 23, 2011[26]
  • Label: BSX
  • Format: CD, digital download
Europa Report:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Released: August 2, 2013[27]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, digital download
Knights of Badassdom:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Released: February 11, 2014[28]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, digital download
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Released: September 2, 2014[29]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: digital download, Blu-ray
Everly:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Released: January 20, 2015[30]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, digital download
The Forest:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Released: January 8, 2016[31]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, digital download

Television soundtracks

Title Album details
Battlestar Galactica:
Original Soundtrack from the Sci Fi Channel Mini Series
  • Released: March 16, 2004
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
  • Credited for 8 tracks
Battlestar Galactica: Season One:
Original Soundtrack from the Sci Fi Channel Television Series
  • Released: June 21, 2005
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
Battlestar Galactica: Season 2:
Original Soundtrack from the Sci Fi Channel Television Series
  • Released: June 20, 2006
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
Battlestar Galactica: Season 3:
Original Soundtrack from the Sci Fi Channel Television Series
  • Released: October 23, 2007
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
Eureka:
Original Soundtrack from the Sci-Fi Channel Television Series
  • Released: August 26, 2008[32]
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles:
Original Television Soundtrack
  • Released: December 23, 2008[33]
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD, digital download
Caprica:
Original Soundtrack from the Sci Fi Channel Television Pilot Episode
  • Released: June 16, 2009[34]
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
Battlestar Galactica: Season 4:
Original Soundtrack from the Syfy Television Series
  • Released: July 28, 2009
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan and Razor:
Original Soundtrack from the Syfy Special Events
  • Released: February 23, 2010[35]
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD, digital download
Human Target: Season 1:
Original Television Soundtrack
  • Released: October 8, 2010[36][37]
  • Label: WaterTower, La-La Land
  • Format: CD, digital download
The Cape:
Original Television Soundtrack
  • Released: September 27, 2011[38]
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
A Very Eureka Christmas:
Original Holiday Soundtrack from the Television Series
  • Released: November 20, 2012[39]
  • Label: Back Lot
  • Format: Digital download
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome:
Original Soundtrack from the SyFy Special Event
  • Released: March 12, 2013[40]
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
Da Vinci's Demons:
Original Television Soundtrack
  • Released: May 28, 2013[41]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, digital download
Defiance:
Original Television Soundtrack
  • Released: June 17, 2013[42]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: Digital download
Caprica:
Original Soundtrack to the Syfy Television Series
  • Released: July 30, 2013[43]
  • Label: La-La Land
  • Format: CD
The World of Steam: The Clockwork Heart
  • Released: November 20, 2013[44]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: Digital download
Black Sails:
A Starz Original Series Soundtrack
  • Released: January 28, 2014[45]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, digital download
Da Vinci's Demons - Season 2:
Original Television Soundtrack
  • Released: May 27, 2014[46]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, Digital download
Outlander - The Series:
Original Television Soundtrack, Vol. 1
  • Released: February 10, 2015[47]
  • Label: Madison Gate Records / Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, digital download
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.:
Original Soundtrack Album
  • Released: September 4, 2015[48]
  • Label: Hollywood Records
  • Format: CD, digital download
Outlander - The Series:
Original Television Soundtrack, Vol. 2
  • Released: September 25, 2015[49]
  • Label: Madison Gate Records / Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, digital download
Da Vinci's Demons - Season 3:
Original Television Soundtrack
  • Released: November 3, 2015[50]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: CD, Digital download

Video game soundtracks

Title Album details
Dark Void:
Original Video Game Score
  • Released: February 9, 2010[51]
  • Label: Sumthing Else
  • Format: CD, digital download
SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs:
Original Video Game Soundtrack
  • Released: April 12, 2011[52][53]
  • Label: Sony, La-La Land
  • Format: CD, digital download
Moon Breakers
  • Released: June 19, 2012[54]
  • Label: Conan the Furky
  • Format: Digital download
Defiance:
Original Video Game Soundtrack
  • Released: April 2, 2013[55]
  • Label: Sparks and Shadows
  • Format: Digital download
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate: Jack the Ripper
Original Game Soundtrack - EP
  • Released: December 15, 2015[56]
  • Label: Ubisoft Music
  • Format: Digital download

Singles

Title Year Album
"Temporal Distortion"[57] 2012 N/A
"You Are My Home"
(featuring Brendan McCreary)[58]		 N/A
"Da Vinci's Demons"
(Main Title Theme)[59]		 2013 Da Vinci's Demons: Original Television Soundtrack
"I Forever"
(Young Beautiful in a Hurry & Bear McCreary)[60]		 N/A

Other appearances

Title Year Artist(s) Album Notes
"Maverick Regeneration"[61] 2011 Various artists Play for Japan: The Album
"Main Title Theme Song" (Unkle Remix)[62] 2013 The Walking Dead: AMC Original Soundtrack – Vol. 1
N/A Dethklok Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem – A Klok Opera Soundtrack Orchestra

Filmography

Film

Title Year Notes
Rest Stop 2006 Direct-to-video release.
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End 2007
Rest Stop: Don't Look Back 2008
Step Up 3D 2010 Theatrical film scoring debut
Chillerama 2011 Scored the segment "Zom-B Movie"
Europa Report 2013
Knights of Badassdom
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie 2014
Everly 2014
The Forest 2016
The Boy 2016

Television

Title Year Notes
Battlestar Galactica 2004–2009
Eureka 2007–2012 Took over from Mutato Muzika starting with the second season of the show in 2007.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles 2008–2009
Trauma 2009–2010
Caprica
Human Target 2010 Earned his first Emmy nomination for the main title.[63]
The Walking Dead 2010–present Based on the comic book series. AMC original series.
The Cape 2011
Holliston 2012
Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome 10 episode web series released on machinima.com.
Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem 2013
Defiance 2013–present Syfy original series.
Da Vinci's Demons Starz original series. Won his first Emmy for the main title.[64]
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. A continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Intruders 2014 BBC America series based on the novel by Michael Marshall Smith.
Constantine NBC series based on the comic series Hellblazer published by DC Comics.
Black Sails 2014–present Starz original series.
Outlander Starz original series.
Arrow 2015 Uncredited. The CW series based on the Green Arrow published by DC Comics. Episode: "Haunting" featuring Constantine. Music by Blake Neely, but Constantine's theme carries over.

Video games

Title Year
Dark Void Zero 2010
Dark Void
SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs 2011
Moon Breakers 2012
Defiance 2013
Assassin's Creed Syndicate: Jack The Ripper 2015

Awards and nominations

Year Award Nominated work Result
2009 ASCAP Film and Television Music Award for Top Television Series Eureka Won
2009 International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for Television Caprica Nominated
2009 International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for Television Battlestar Galactica Won
2010 International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for Television Human Target Won
2010 International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media Dark Void Nominated
2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Human Target Nominated
2011 International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs Nominated
2013 ASCAP Film and Television Music Award for Top Television Series The Walking Dead Won
2013 International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for Television Da Vinci's Demons Nominated
2013 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Da Vinci's Demons Won
2014 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Black Sails Nominated
2015 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series Outlander Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  3. ↑ Bearmccreary.com
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Bearmccreary.com
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  8. ↑ Sonatine Yarbrough McCreary - Bearmccreary.com
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Comic Con 2010: The Cape Casts a Mighty Shadow
  15. ↑ 'Walking Dead' reveals trailer, taps Bear McCreary as composer
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014HG067O?redirect=true&ref_=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0
  18. ↑ Indiewire.com
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  63. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  64. ↑ Variety

External links

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