Finneas Had to Learn How to Score Music for a String Quartet for ‘Disclaimer’

Oscar-winning composer and award-winning songwriter Finneas is known for his work in film, including winning Oscars for his collaboration with his sister Billie Eilish on the songs “No Time to Die” and “What Was I Made For?” He has also achieved success in his solo career and with Eilish, creating multiplatinum hits. However, when it came to scoring the AppleTV+ limited series “Disclaimer,” creator and director Alfonso Cuarón challenged Finneas to step out of his comfort zone.

Despite his impressive resume, Finneas had never scored for television before, but Cuarón saw potential in him. During the filming process, Finneas was involved, but it was during post-production that his work truly began. “He sent me a lot of string quartets as references, and I realized I needed to learn how to write for that ensemble,” Finneas recalls.

“Disclaimer” stars Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Kodi Smit-McPhee, following the story of journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) as she becomes the subject of a novel that exposes her darkest secrets.

To bring Cuarón’s vision to life, Finneas collaborated with composer David Campbell to orchestrate the music he had written for the series. The Attacca Quartet, recommended by Campbell, brought the score to life, impressing Cuarón with their skill.

Finneas took a minimalist approach to the score, inspired by Cuarón’s previous films that often lacked a traditional score. He strategically placed music in key moments, such as a water rescue scene, to enhance the emotional impact.

In a pivotal scene in Episode 7, Catherine’s dark secret is revealed, accompanied by a haunting piece of music that Finneas composed. The score evolved with the narrative, shifting to reflect the characters’ changing circumstances.

Throughout the series, Finneas created thematic music for each character, including a cello theme for Catherine and a family suite that combined different musical elements to represent the relationships between characters.

Reflecting on his experience scoring for television, Finneas enjoyed the non-linear process of working on different cues from various episodes simultaneously. He found it creatively fulfilling and expressed a desire to continue working in a similar manner in future projects.

Overall, Finneas’ work on “Disclaimer” showcases his versatility as a composer and his ability to adapt to new challenges. His collaboration with Cuarón and the talented cast of the series resulted in a compelling and immersive musical experience for audiences.