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Bear McCreary Biography

Birth Name:Bear McCreary

Birth Place:Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, United States

Profession Composer, Music department, Actor, Director

Fast Facts

  • Won an ASCAP Award in 2013 for his music in "The Walking Dead․"
  • Studied under famed composer Elmer Bernstein while completing a degree at the USC Thornton School of Music
  • Son of American author Laura Kalpakian
  • Made his motion picture film debut with "Step Up 3D" in 2010
  • Quote: "The producers and I wanted to do something different because The Walking Dead" had become so dark [by season three]․""
  • Quote: "Musically, I really want to honor characters and write music that takes the audience back in time․ These are real people with real conflicts participating in real events․"
  • Named sole composer to the "Battlestar Galactica" reboot in 2003 after composer Richard Gibbs opted out of the series following the pilot
  • As a protégé to Elmer Bernstein, he helped reconstruct the composer's original pencil score sheets from 1963's "Kings of the Sun․"
  • As a joke, he prepared an 8-bit remake of the 'Dark Void' theme which would eventually be used for the game's prequel
  • Self-taught accordion player as well as a classically trained pianist

Awards

  • 2005IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: nominated
  • 2006IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for Television: nominated
  • 2007IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: nominated
  • 2008IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: nominated
  • 2009ASCAP Award-Top Television Series: winner
  • 2009IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: winner
  • 2009IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music: nominated
  • 2011IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: winner
  • 2013ASCAP Award-Top Television Series: winner
  • 2013OFTA Television Award-Best Music in a Series: nominated
  • 2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music: winner
  • 2014HMMA Award-Best Main Title - TV Show/Digital Streaming Series: nominated
  • 2014IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: nominated
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music: nominated
  • 2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
  • 2016HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: nominated
  • 2016IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: nominated
  • 2016World Soundtrack Award-Discovery of the Year: nominated
  • 2016World Soundtrack Award-Television Composer of the Year: nominated
  • 2019Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
  • 2019Reel Music Award-Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Feature: winner
  • 2020IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Drama Film: nominated
  • 2020IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film: nominated
  • 2021IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Animated Film: nominated
  • 2022BloodGuts UK Horror Award-Best Soundtrack/Score: nominated
  • 2022HMMA Award-Best Original Score - TV Show/Limited Series: nominated
  • 2022IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: winner
  • 2022IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: nominated
  • 2022Movie Music UK Award-Score of the Year: winner
  • 2022Movie Music UK Award-Best Original Score for Television: winner
  • 2022Reel Music Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: winner
  • 2022Reel Music Award-Overall Score of the Year: winner
  • 2023HMMA Award-Best Main Title - TV Show/Limited Series: nominated
  • 2023IFMCA Award-Composition of the Year: nominated
  • 2023IFMCA Award-Score of the Year: winner
  • 2023IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Animated Film: nominated
  • 2023IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Television Series: winner
  • 2023IFMCA Award-Composition of the Year: nominated
  • 2023IFMCA Award-Composition of the Year: nominated
  • 2023SCL Award-Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production: nominated
  • 2024IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Horror/Thriller Film: nominated
  • 2024Movie Music UK Award-Best Original Score for a Comedy Film: nominated
  • 2025Emmy-Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Live Action Program: winner
  • 2025HMMA Award-Best Main Title - TV Show/Limited Series: nominated
  • 2025IFMCA Award-Score of the Year: winner
  • 2025IFMCA Award-Composition of the Year: nominated
  • 2025IFMCA Award-Composition of the Year: nominated
  • 2025IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Comedy Film: nominated
  • 2025IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for Television: winner
  • 2025SCL Award-Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production: nominated
  • 2025SCL Award-Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production: nominated