Richard Linklater and the cast of “Boyhood” discuss how the film developed over time, year after year.
Slacker. Indie filmmaker. Oscar nominee. Writer, director, producer, actor Richard Linklater is all these things and more, a poster boy for the fiercely independent style of filmmaking that emerged out of Austin, Texas in the late 1980s and 1990s.
Funding for Richard Linklater – dream is destiny is provided in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
I didn't read anything today - felt fortunate enough to be writing. I just felt like writing something every day was good. If you want to be a writer, write every day.
Even if it's nothing creative, just do that. I think it was probably, you know, Tolstoy kept - that was like an old notion where you kept journals, you know? I was told - I can't remember by who now - but early on that if you want to be a writer, write every single day. There's the day after Thanksgiving - a very visual day saw three movies - Fitz Caraldo, Bonnie and Clyde, and Taxi Driver. That's a pretty good day. It's painful though to go back and feel the angst and uncertainty of yourself at an earlier time. Not that there was any - you know - that's just how was going to be, but I don't know, you're still glad that you're not in that headspace anymore where everything was just so - I can capture it though. I like to kind of - I still remember it. Do you know where your character's going? Do you know how it's going to end? Oh not at all - I mean I no, not really. I mean if I knew more about Rick's life, then I might, because I know it's loosely based on his childhood. But no, I mean, I don't really - you just kind of - I just know year by year.
Bus will be here in 10 minutes! Put that homework in your backpack. Go eat!
There was no 12-year script. I never saw a 12-year script until the film was finished. The film was incredibly organic. It came together year by year by year.
but he didn't always know what was going to happen each year. Clearly he had the characters in mind he knew these islands that were going to happen in the film overall, but the specifics of what the dialogue was going to be and what the specific scenes were going to be each year I think those evolved year by year.
