For most films, you need a complete script before you start filming. That was never going to be the case with Boyhood. Richard Linklater's endeavor to film twelve years in the life of a boy and his family meant the writer/director would work on the script each year, writing the story for the next segment of filming while the film took shape and his actors grew up. Thanks to IFC Films, we now get the chance to read how the screenplay unfolded on the page.

First, here's the trailer for Boyhood to refresh your memory:

Back in August, we shared a post about how Linklater wrote Boyhood over the course of the twelve years making the film. In several interviews, Linklater has shared how the process became more collaborative with the actors, especially Ellar Coltrane, as they all aged. Not only did Linklater have the advantage of watching his film come together in the editing suite year over year, he could ask Ellar and his daughter Lorelei Linklater about their real lives to draw inspirations for the script. Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette also helped Linklater shape their characters over the years. This collaboration shows as the story gets stronger as the film progresses.

Here's a link to the PDF of the screenplay, courtesy of IFC Films:

  • Boyhood, written by Richard Linklater

If you missed our earlier posts about screenplays available for free, legal download this awards season, check them out here. Titles include:

  • Gone Girl
  • The Fault in Our Stars
  • St. Vincent
  • Get on Up
  • The Theory of Everything
  • The Boxtrolls

As always, please use these screenplays for educational purposes only, and don't wait to download the scripts as we never know when the distributors will take them off the Internet. We'll post more screenplays here as more distributors make them available online for free, legal downloads.

Source: IFC Films

screenplayboyhoodRichard Linklater2014 Screenplays FYC
Screenwriting