What was special about the beginning of this script was the way it displayed Mason's personality. After reading three scenes, I already knew he was imaginative, a day dreamer, prone to getting into mischief, a child who was going to suffer in the normal educative system. They're a close knit family without a father figure. The mother, Olivia, shows how important her kids are to her by denying herself a frivolous relationship with Ted. She puts them before herself even though she hasn't had it easy and could do with the distraction. For me, at this stage – as far as I've read - (p8 – its been a long day- UK time is different- sorry) you've underplayed her role in the script analysis and not given her part the credit its due. Mason listens to the argument between Olivia and Ted. He knows, from what he overhears, that he and his sister take precedence over Ted. The reason for which, he slept comfortably . The following brother/sister banter displays a security within the single parent set-up which is unusual. If Olivia had gone on a date with Ted then... it would have been a whole different story. As of yet, not having seen the film, its interesting to see it from script level first. Thank you. Looking forward to reading the rest and what you post during the week.

Thanks for that comment, Liz. As you proceed through the script, you'll see that it really is Mason's story. Hence the title Boyhood. That said, Olivia is a strong presence throughout and in some respects, her personal growth is the most remarkable. I think we're seeing that reflected in part due to Patricia Arquette's multiple nominations for Best Supporting Actress, not only her performance, but also the depth of her role. Look forward to reading your comments on the rest of the script!

In going through the scene-by-scene breakdown, two things jumped out at me. * The transitions from one year to the next, from key event to event, they are all seamless. In fact, it would be great if someone could go through the script and identify precisely those scenes where each year flips to the next. * This is a movie about moments. The very last lines of the film lay that out on the line: How it's not about seizing the moment, but the moment seizing you. And when you read the scene-by-scene breakdown, you see that point underscored. Moment. To moment. To moment. Most of them mundane, at least on the surface. It will be interesting to try to look at this story from the perspective of three act structure. Not sure it works. It may be something we can only really interpret as having 12 acts, one for each year. What did you think when reading the scene-by-scene breakdown? Again many thanks to Jacob Jensen for doing the scene-by-scene breakdown!

Am really enjoying reading though this script and trying to take it apart. You have the advantage on me as you know the ending. I'm just on page 14 out of how many? Still, am not allowing myself to read further through the breakdown (job well done by Jacob – a big thank you to him) than the scenes I'm reading. Agree with you about the scenes seeming mundane, but they're not. Each scene subtly portrays minor events which could happen to any child really in daily life but in reality, its the decisions which the mother is making that are pushing the direction of the film and of Mason's life.

Some more comments... On P9/10/11 Sad to say, Mason's introspective scene at the start of p9 really didn't give me any great sense of well, anything really. I put that down to it maybe being a more masculine thing or the fact there was no written facial reaction to go on. Or was it the lack of reaction which was supposed to be significant? I'm still mulling that part over. Mason and Samantha then have to face what is one of the major tragic moments in any kids life – moving house and losing friends. Olivia says she wants to discuss it with them, but as is usually the case, the parents or in this instance, parent, had already made the decision and she was just telling them what was going to happen. What surprised me most in that scene and throughout the following on the actual moving, was their apparent lack of reaction. It seemed understated. Olivia gives us an indication of her ex's personality by comparing him to a polar bear while Mason again shows his naivety and highly developed imagination by thinking his absent dad is out there taming them. But going on to the end of p11, he begins to show some signs of growing up by literally painting out his growth chart. It seemed to portray him showing us he was too big for that sort of thing. In the same scene, Samantha displays a teenage disregard for her younger brother by dismissing his friend and the importance of them having a chance to say good bye. P12 They say goodbye to the old neighbourhood. Samantha shows some of her distress at moving, but Mason shows us something we didn't even know was there, which was important, for some reason to him. We see the boyhood friends separate without saying goodbye. During the journey, the youngster's unsettled emotions about the move are displayed by their boisterousness. P13/P14 We're with the family in the kitchen on a school morning. There has been some time transition here which is quite difficult to pick out. Mason had flunked first grade – so we were in a setting further on in life than that. How old he is at that moment is difficult to decipher from the script alone. But their daily routine in the new setting appears to be well established as does the inclusion of the grandmother in it. The surprise comes with the mention of the father returning from Alaska and the planned afternoon the two kids are going to spend with him. Very little build up to it, he just reappears. If this script was classifiable within the three act structure, I think, to me anyway, this would have to signal the end of the first act. There couldn't really be anything more life changing than the return of an absent parent to a child of Mason's age.

Liz, this is a really interesting experience for you, I'm guessing, reading the script first. It would be better, at least as far as the read is concerned, if the script indicated the time jumps. For that, you're just going to have to see the movie. The sense of continuity in the movie is remarkable especially given all of those time ellipses.

It is an interesting experience or learning curve probably would be more correct to say. Was hoping to uncover some secrets about the time transitions in the script, but they're not there so watching the film is on the agenda for the weekend. This is probably the only movie which hasn't been driven by the script alone, but rather by Mr Linklater's dedication and infinite patience. Still, I've learnt a lot about simplicity of scene presentation. Shame, but work calls and have to drag myself away.