Bear McCreary
Encyclopedia
Bear McCreary is an American composer
and musician
living in Los Angeles
, California. He is known for his work on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series.
, 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. He studied under the renowned film score
composer Elmer Bernstein
at the USC Thornton School of Music
, 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.
From 1998 until 2005, McCreary built up a body of work scoring short films. McCreary is a pianist
and a self-taught accordionist, and plays in the avant-jazz band 17 Billion Miles of DNA.
McCreary is married to singer/songwriter Raya Yarbrough, with whom he worked on the music of Battlestar Galactica.
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 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.
McCreary composed for Caprica
, a prequel series set in the fictional Battlestar Galactica universe, and is a highly potential candidate for composing the Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome, should it become a series.
's Eureka
, now in its fourth season, after having taken over from Mutato Muzika
starting with the second season of the show in 2007.
), on to which the pilot episode and main theme score had been recorded with a full orchestra. The series has the distinction of being one of the few and largest orchestras on television today.
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 theme.
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.
and NBC
's The Cape to announce he would be composing the score for both television series.
, Rest Stop 2: Don't Look Back and Wrong Turn 2: Dead End.
Bear is currently working on The Knights of Badassdom
, his second movie with director Joe Lynch
(of Wrong Turn 2) and third time for actress Summer Glau
.
titled video game for Xbox 360
, PS3 and PC
, Dark Void
.
He has 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. He composed all the songs in a 8-bit fashion by connecting the wires on an actual NES console and cartridge to create authenticity.
Bear composed the soundtrack for SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs
for the PS3, which came out in 2011.
He arranged James Rolfe's Angry Video Game Nerd 2010 Christmas video for the You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
song parody, with orchestra and 8-bit audio elements.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
living in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California. He is known for his work on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series.
Biography
McCreary was born in Fort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, and spent most of his formative years in Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
. He is the son of author Laura Kalpakian
Laura Kalpakian
Laura Anne Kalpakian is an American author. She has also published under the pen names Juliet Fitzgerald and Carenna Jane Greye. She is known for her work in the memoir genre.-Life and career:...
and professor Jay McCreary of University of Hawaii. He is of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
descent. He studied under the renowned film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
composer Elmer Bernstein
Elmer Bernstein
Elmer Bernstein was an American composer and conductor best known for his many film scores. In a career which spanned fifty years, he composed music for hundreds of film and television productions...
at the USC Thornton School of Music
USC Thornton School of Music
The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, founded in 1884 and dedicated in 1999, is one of the premier music schools in the United States...
, during which time he reconstructed and re-orchestrated Bernstein's 1963 score for Kings of the Sun
Kings of the Sun
Kings of the Sun is a 1963 movie directed by J. Lee Thompson set in Mesoamerica at the time of the conquest of Chichen Itza by Hunac Ceel. The story is about Mayan refugees who sail to the Mississippi River Valley and lay the foundation for the Mississippian culture complex...
. Their collaboration allowed for the complete score to be available as a soundtrack album for the first time in forty years.
From 1998 until 2005, McCreary built up a body of work scoring short films. McCreary is a pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and a self-taught accordionist, and plays in the avant-jazz band 17 Billion Miles of DNA.
McCreary is married to singer/songwriter Raya Yarbrough, with whom he worked on the music of Battlestar Galactica.
Battlestar Galactica and Caprica
In 2003, McCreary worked under primary composer Richard GibbsRichard Gibbs
Richard “Ribbs” Gibbs is an American film composer and music producer whose credits include the films Sweet Hearts Dance, Dr...
on the 3-hour miniseries
Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries)
Battlestar Galactica is a three-hour miniseries written and produced by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Michael Rymer. It was the first part of the Battlestar Galactica reimagining based on the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series, and served as a backdoor pilot for the 2004 television series...
which served as a pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
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 and commercial success. The soundtracks for season two
Battlestar Galactica (season 2)
The second season of the reimagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel in the United States on July 25, 2005, and concluded on March 10, 2006. The season was split into two parts, each containing 10 episodes...
and three
Battlestar Galactica (season 3)
The third season of the reimagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel in the United States on October 6, 2006, and concluded on March 25, 2007. Unlike the previous season, it was not split into two parts and did not have an extended hiatus during...
ranked amongst Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
's Top 30 Music Sales on their first days of release.
McCreary composed for Caprica
Caprica (TV series)
Caprica is a science fiction drama television series. It is a spin-off prequel of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, taking place about 58 years prior to the events of Battlestar Galactica. Caprica shows how humanity first created the robotic Cylons who would later plot to destroy humans in...
, a prequel series set in the fictional Battlestar Galactica universe, and is a highly potential candidate for composing the Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome, should it become a series.
Eureka
McCreary is currently the composer for SyfySyfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
's Eureka
Eureka (TV series)
Eureka is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006. Since then four seasons have aired, and a fifth is currently being filmed. The second half of season 4 began on SyFy on July 11, 2011 and ended on September 19, 2011...
, now in its fourth season, after having taken over from Mutato Muzika
Mutato Muzika
Mutato Muzika is a music production company established in 1989 by Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh. While Devo members Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald V...
starting with the second season of the show in 2007.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
He has scored both seasons of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009).Human Target
Bear provided the score for the series Human Target (based on the comic book of the same nameHuman Target
The Human Target is the name of two fictional comic book characters that have appeared in books published by DC Comics. The first is Fred Venable, who appears in Detective Comics #201 , by Edmond Hamilton and Sheldon Moldoff....
), on to which the pilot episode and main theme score had been recorded with a full orchestra. The series has the distinction of being one of the few and largest orchestras on television today.
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 theme.
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.
The Walking Dead and The Cape
During Comic-Con 2010, Bear McCreary attended panels for AMC's The Walking DeadThe Walking Dead (TV series)
The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed for television by Frank Darabont and based on the ongoing comic book series, The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard...
and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The Cape to announce he would be composing the score for both television series.
Feature films
Bear McCreary made his theatrical feature film scoring debut with Step Up 3D. He has also composed the scores for several direct-to-DVD features, including Rest StopRest Stop (film)
Rest Stop: Dead Ahead is the first direct-to-video horror film released by Warner Studios' "Raw Feed" imprint on October 17, 2006.The plot involves a girl who is terrorized by a deranged serial killer while on a cross country road trip to California....
, Rest Stop 2: Don't Look Back and Wrong Turn 2: Dead End.
Bear is currently working on The Knights of Badassdom
The Knights of Badassdom
Knights of Badassdom is an upcoming American horror comedy film, directed by Joe Lynch, written by Kevin Dreyfuss and Matt Wall.-Story:A group of live action roleplayers accidentally summon a succubus demon from the underworld.-Cast:...
, his second movie with director Joe Lynch
Joe Lynch (director)
Joe Lynch is an American film director and music video director, cinematographer, and film actor.-Life and career:His directorial debut in feature film was 2007's Wrong Turn 2: Dead End, which starred Henry Rollins, Erica Leerhsen, and Texas Battle....
(of Wrong Turn 2) and third time for actress Summer Glau
Summer Glau
Summer Lyn Glau is an American actress, known for playing River Tam in the science fiction series Firefly and follow-up film Serenity, and for playing Cameron in the series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.-Early life:...
.
Video games
McCreary worked on the CapcomCapcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
titled video game for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, PS3 and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, Dark Void
Dark Void
Dark Void is a video game developed by Airtight Games using the Unreal Engine 3 and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. In the game players must face an alien threat that humanity had previously banished. The game mixes on-foot and mid-air combat...
.
He has 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. He composed all the songs in a 8-bit fashion by connecting the wires on an actual NES console and cartridge to create authenticity.
Bear composed the soundtrack for SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs
SOCOM 4
SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs , is a 2011 third-person tactical shooter video game developed by Zipper Interactive and published by Sony Computer Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation 3 and is a sequel to Zipper's SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 2 and SOCOM: U.S...
for the PS3, which came out in 2011.
He arranged James Rolfe's Angry Video Game Nerd 2010 Christmas video for the You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is a Christmas song that was originally written and composed for the 1966 cartoon special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The lyrics were written by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, the music was composed by Albert Hague, and the song was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft...
song parody, with orchestra and 8-bit audio elements.
Albums
| Title | Type | Released | Tracks | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries | Television Soundtrack | 16 March 2004 | 26 | Credited for 8 tracks | |
| Battlestar Galactica: Season One | Television Soundtrack | 21 June 2005 | 30 | ||
| Battlestar Galactica: Season Two | Television Soundtrack | 20 June 2006 | 23 | ||
| Rest Stop Rest Stop (film) Rest Stop: Dead Ahead is the first direct-to-video horror film released by Warner Studios' "Raw Feed" imprint on October 17, 2006.The plot involves a girl who is terrorized by a deranged serial killer while on a cross country road trip to California.... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | 12 December 2006 | 17 | ||
| Wrong Turn 2 | Motion Picture Soundtrack | 18 September 2007 | 16 | ||
| Battlestar Galactica: Season Three | Television Soundtrack | 23 October 2007 | 21 | ||
| Eureka Eureka (soundtrack) Eureka: Original Soundtrack From the Sci-Fi Channel Television Series is a soundtrack album released on August 26, 2008, containing incidental music composed primarily by Bear McCreary and used in the second season of the Syfy original series, Eureka.... |
Television Soundtrack | 26 August 2008 | 28 | ||
| Rest Stop: Don't Look Back | Motion Picture Soundtrack | 21 October 2008 | 20 | ||
| Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (soundtrack) Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is the first soundtrack album release from the science fiction television series of the same name based on the Terminator franchise. The score is licensed for release by Warner Bros... |
Television Soundtrack | 16 December 2008 | 24 | ||
| Caprica | Television Soundtrack | 16 June 2009 | 18 | ||
| Battlestar Galactica: Season Four | Television Soundtrack | 28 July 2009 | 34 | 2-disc edition | |
| Dark Void Dark Void Dark Void is a video game developed by Airtight Games using the Unreal Engine 3 and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. In the game players must face an alien threat that humanity had previously banished. The game mixes on-foot and mid-air combat... |
Video Game Soundtrack | 9 February 2010 | 27 | ||
| Battlestar Galactica: Razor/The Plan | Motion Picture Soundtrack | 23 February 2010 | 19 | ||
| Human Target | Television Soundtrack | 19 October 2010 | 63 | 3-disc limited edition (2000 copies) CD album, 2-disc online edition | |
| SOCOM 4 SOCOM 4 SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs , is a 2011 third-person tactical shooter video game developed by Zipper Interactive and published by Sony Computer Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation 3 and is a sequel to Zipper's SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 2 and SOCOM: U.S... |
Video Game Soundtrack | 12 April 2011 | 19 | iTunes Release, On May 10 a 2-Disc album with expanded track listing will be released | |
| Play For Japan: The Album | Charity Album | May 2011 | Unknown | To be released on the iTunes ITunes iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.... store; features several other video game composers |
|
| The Cape The Cape The Cape was an American dramatic TV series, with elements of science fiction, action/adventure, and drama, that was produced for syndication during the 1996–1997 television season. The Cape told the story of select members of the NASA Astronaut Corps at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a... |
Television Soundtrack | 27 September 2011 | 49 | Preview of tracks posted on Bear McCreary's blog | |
| Caprica: Season 1 Music of Caprica The music of Caprica is a body of work credited to composer Bear McCreary.-Background:Bear McCreary, the composer for parent series Battlestar Galactica, has been tasked to compose for the new series. Despite his critically acclaimed work on Battlestar, McCreary was not initially considered for... |
Television Soundtrack | TBA | TBA |