5 Screenwriting Lessons - Boyhood

Who Wrote It?

The film’s director Richard Linklater wrote the script with the help of his cast. He came up with the story and scenes, whilst the film’s four stars (Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater and Ethan Hawke) contributed to the dialogue and characterisation.

How Long Is It?

Boyhood is 166 minutes long, including credits.

What is it about?

Set over a 12-year period from 2002 to 2013, this film follows a boy called Mason (Played by Ellar Coltrane), as he grows from a six year-old into a college student. The twists and turns of life affect him and his family- older sister Samantha (Played by Lorelei Linklater), single mother Olivia (Played by Patricia Arquette), and Mason Sr.(Played by Ethan Hawke), her ex-husband and the children’s father - in a number of ways.

5 Screenwriting Lessons- Boyhood(The Following May Contain Spoilers) 

Make Your Film Relatable - Instead of using title cards and other conventional means of pinpointing specific years, Boyhood depicts the passage of time through the use of pop culture relevant to each specific year. The Gameboys of 2002 are steadily replaced with Nintendo Wii Consoles and iPhones, and Samantha’s obsession with singing Britney Spears songs as a child is replaced with a teenage obsession over Lady Gaga. The film is primarily aimed at an audience who remember most, if not all, of the crazes of the period, and the use of these ensures that the film seems more realistic.

However, it is more than a mere time capsule for America in the 2000’s, as the relationships between family members are depicted in a manner that will resonate with those who don’t remember the period. Mason and Samantha fight constantly, especially in their younger years, but still love each other. Olivia is a harried single mother who manages to find a stable career and support her children. Mason Sr. is an uncommitted dreamer who regrets missing out on his children growing up. These situations are similar to those experienced by everyone at one point or another in their lives, regardless of time and place.  This ensures that the film will remain relevant, even as the period it chronicles slips into the past.

Make Your Characters Unique - As the film progresses, Mason begins to develop an obsession with photography, and soon begins to see it as a future career. This interest in chronicling the little details that define everyday life serve as a metaphor for the film. At the same time, it fits the protagonist perfectly, as he is shown to be a keen observer of life from the beginning, peering out of the bedroom window to observe arguments between his mother and father. This ensures that Mason’s interest appears to stem from the character rather than the writer, and therefore contributes to the film’s authentic tone.

Mason Sr. is also defined by creative interests. He is a songwriter, and enjoys singing and playing instruments. On a couple of occasions, he writes and performs songs that reflect the situations that he is involved in. Like Mason’s interest in photography, this reflects the themes of the film and also helps define his character. He is kind and perceptive, but immature and more committed to enjoying himself then succeeding in life- he sees music as a hobby rather than a profession. Whilst these traits and interests are relatively common, the way that they are combined in the development of Mason Sr. is unique in the universe of the movie, and serves to make him seem more developed and memorable.

Antagonists Should Be Well-Developed, But Easy to Understand - The nearest thing that Boyhood has to a human antagonist is Olivia’s second husband Bill (Played by Marco Perella). Bill is initially portrayed as a charismatic college professor, but we soon find out that he is a strict stepfather with a secret alcohol addiction. However, mundane actions like forcing his children to do chores are soon followed by far more aggressive acts such as forcing Mason to have a very short haircut, and before long, he is outright abusing Olivia and Mason. Because Bill starts out as a reasonably normal parent, his shift towards violent behaviour feels more realistic and unnerving.

However, there are instances when a character’s nature cannot be revealed slowly, so has to be demonstrated in a clear and concise manner. In the second half of the movie, the focus shifts towards Mason’s school life, so Olivia’s next failed relationship with the soldier Jim (played by Brad Hawkins) is not depicted in much detail. It would be repetitive to depict Jim descending towards the same extreme behaviour as Bill, and therefore, he is a less prominent character. However, in Jim’s most significant interaction with Mason, we see that he is a bad-tempered control freak, just as Bill was. This quickly establishes that his marriage to Olivia will not last, and ensures that the film can focus more on Mason, and less on the breakdown of Olivia and Jim’s relationship. Therefore, making a character easy to understand is highly important, especially if they play a minor role in the story.

Change Can Lead to Interesting Character Development - The protagonists of Boyhood see their life change numerous times. They move house, go to new schools, gain new jobs and move in and out of relationships. In many respects, the character’s basic personalities remain intact throughout. Mason observes life with as much fascination as he did when he was younger, Samantha retains her interest in popular music, and Olivia remains the same caring but firm mother she was when her children were still little. However, they have also taken on a more realistic and pragmatic approach towards life. The changes that have occurred over the twelve year period lead to the protagonists reassessing their outlook, and the various decisions they make as a result of this shape the film

The focus on change is highlighted in a minor subplot involving Olivia. At one point in the middle of the film, she advises a repairman to take up Adult Education classes at the college where she teaches. Towards the end of the film, she takes Mason and Samantha to a restaurant to celebrate Mason’s forthcoming departure for college, and they meet the repairman again- he is now the restaurant’s manager. Whilst a character rising this far in such a short period might seem far-fetched to some viewers, it fits one of the film’s key ideas– people and circumstances can change in ways both expected and unexpected.

Make Your Themes Clear Through Dialogue - At an early stage of the film, Mason Sr. takes his children bowling. When Mason struggles to avoid ending up with a gutter ball, his father tells him “You don’t want the bumpers. Life doesn’t give you bumpers”. The quote succeeds in establishing a major theme of the film- life is unpredictable and you have to take everything you face in your stride. However, it fits the character saying it, and therefore feels like plausible dialogue.

The fact that dialogue can highlight a film’s message is made clear at the end of the film, when Olivia is saying goodbye to Mason. During her speech to him, Olivia breaks down in tears, as she believes that she has experienced every significant event in life. On the other hand, Mason tells her that she still has plenty of time to live. He has taken on a more optimistic outlook, and is aware that life can change radically in a very short period of time. Again, dialogue that could sound false in another film feels authentic here, as we have seen the characters grow over time, and can agree with Mason’s claims. The best dialogue can highlight characters and themes with intelligence and subtlety, and the dialogue in Boyhood succeeds in doing this.

Verdict

Boyhood is a splendid example of how to write a coming-of-age movie well. The film can drag at times, particularly during the depictions of Mason’s high school life, but it always feels unique, insightful and realistic. The characters are vividly depicted yet nuanced, the story is simple but effective, and the dialogue is convincing and often intelligent. It highlights how collaboration between writers and actors can lead to a successful script.