Our Story

As Ryan Watson (Director) developed 12 Steps to Recovery, he put a lot of time and effort into creating something that he believes to be special, unique, and that he has never seen in a movie before now. Being an independent filmmaker, Ryan had grown accustomed to having very little resources during the planning and execution of his projects, and this project was no different. Ryan believed that what an independent film lacks in resources, it has to make up for in preparation, execution and most of all, a compelling story. 

For months Ryan contemplated ideas for a script knowing that the concept of the story may be the most important decision in the entire process of the making of the movie. Due to his Christian beliefs, as he brainstormed ideas he kept coming back to ideas that involved aspects of faith and spirituality. Although, he did want his film to be able to be watched by anyone, no matter their beliefs. This is when the spark of an idea was ignited.

Ryan thought about the prominence of substance abuse and how it negatively impacts the majority of communities today. He also realized how the 12 steps that were originally established in the Alcoholics Anonymous program and have been accepted into so many other programs (including Narcotics Anonymous and Sex Addicts Anonymous) are founded on principles of a belief in God; however, they are not specifically pushing a religious agenda. Rather, they focus on the aspect of recovery. Ryan believes that addiction recovery programs are socially acceptable for all faiths, as they refer to God, Jesus Christ, and/or whatever higher power the individual believes in. The programs fit right into his message and his theme for the film while being inclusive to those of all religious beliefs. Ryan found this as a beautiful way to address the very serious topic of addiction while also not having to shy away from referring to gospel truths due to fear of the message not being accepted by alternate or non-religious groups.

Ryan began working tirelessly on a script while simultaneously planning practical ways of executing it with the limited resources of an independent filmmaker. This was something that Ryan had a lot of experience with his vast history of short films, but this was on a much grander scale with bigger obstacles, including putting together a budget for the film. Ryan also turned to his friend, Zack Placencia, who got his start as a cinematographer in the music video scene of Phoenix, Arizona. Zack had worked with Ryan on a previous short film, and they had talked about someday making a feature film together. Zack’s Christian background and love for evoking an emotional response in his viewers made him a perfect fit for being the Director of Photography for the film. 

As Ryan wrote the script, he worked closely with Jake Skinner and Nic Spencer to come up with a compelling story that they believed to be something special. Ryan believed that the negative stigma of addiction recovery and seeking help needed to be the face of the movie. Mental illness used to be an uncomfortable and embarrassing topic to talk about, but, due to the people specifically addressing the need to be open about it, it has become easier to talk about and help has become much more available. Ryan knew that if people could actually see what addiction recovery actually looked like, then they could realize that it isn’t scary; it’s actually a beautiful process full of love and spirituality. Ryan believes that everyone is affected by addiction in one way or another. It might be someone personally, a family member, a friend, or seeing the community they live in, but in one way or another everyone can personally relate to the topic of addiction recovery. He believed that if he could show his audience what it actually looks like to get clean, people can better understand and help those who are struggling. 

Ryan had never seen a movie that was completely focused on showing the audience what the 12 steps are and how they are used to recover from addiction. He didn’t even believe the general public knew what the majority of the steps even were. So he decided to make the entire plot follow someone going through all 12 steps from start to finish. He wanted to show the internal struggle that addicts have as they truly want to quit their addiction but can’t seem to break away from the hold that substances have on them. He wanted to show the role that parents play as they desperately pray for the wellbeing of their children yet repeatedly witness them make bad decisions. He also wanted to show the positive influence and unconditional love and support that parents show to their struggling children, and how it can make the difference in whether they are able to recover. A major part of recovery that Ryan wanted to include in the movie was accurately showing what an addiction recovery meeting looks like- to show that it is a place for honesty and support, not judgment, as everyone is going through similar struggles. Ryan hopes that in doing so, people that are struggling and need help will feel comfortable getting that support. The meetings in the movie are also meant to show the audience that there are many forms of addiction, and we all have our own individual struggles. Addiction doesn’t need to be a shameful topic. It doesn’t need to be something that people worry about being judged for when it’s brought up. It should be something that, when brought up, is immediately responded to with love, acceptance, and knowledge of how to help. 

Ryan has been continuously shocked at the response that people have to the message of this film and the passion he has for the cause. He hopes that this feeling can continue on and spark a response with viewers to share the movie, so the message can positively influence the lives of people that need to see it.