ABSTRACT
Before Richard Linklater would embark on the path to Boyhood, his early adulthood had already been an interesting journey. He was a Texas boy himself since his birth in Houston in 1960, and many aspects of his upbringing would inform his development of Mason over 40 years later. Cinematic and literary attempts to render long passages in a life over time had been tried before, but Linklater's vision would represent an unparalleled attempt to cast Hollywood actors and relative unknowns for a production schedule that had never been undertaken. The film would thus require an enormous leap of faith by its financiers, and the continuing commitment of its cast and crew. For his protagonist, Linklater would take the biggest risk of all, because he needed to find a six-year-old boy who would fit his existing vision and furthermore, whose parents would agree to sign off on a contract with their son's best interests in mind.
