March 04, 2014
Me and My Emmy

Me and My Emmy: Bear McCreary

Composer Bear McCreary gives us a quick peek inside his music-filled home and shares how he won his gold statuette.

Primetime Emmy Tally 
1

How He Got the Gold 
In 2013 for outstanding original main title theme music, for Da Vinci’s Demons on Starz.

Now for the Noms 
An additional nomination in the same category, in 2010, for Fox’s Human Target.

Going Bold 
“The producer of Da Vinci’s Demons, David S. Goyer, wanted the score to be bold, contemporary and unusual. I was enticed by the Renaissance setting and wanted to explore period-appropriate, traditional sounds. I strove to take the audience back to Florence of the late 15th century, but also let them feel the thrill of a modern adventure-fantasy series.”

Double Vision 
“My score for The Walking Dead is all about mood, texture and color. There is very little thematic development in terms of melodies. It sets the stage and strives to stay out of the way. For Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the approach is big, brassy and thematic. My job there is to drive the story forward and play the epic action.”

Sound Approach
“When I approach a new project, I first decide what the sound will be, what instruments I’m going to use. For Black Sails, a pirate drama on Starz, I scored the entire show with historically accurate instruments. The score sounds like it’s being improvised by an exhausted crew after a long day’s work.”

Emmy Memory
“My category was incredibly competitive — I was honored to be nominated alongside some of the best composers in television. I don’t recall the moment my name was called. I just have vague memories of flying down the aisle toward the stage, literally floating. I don’t remember my feet on the floor at all.”

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