Ricky Survine: Stepping Up

2012 • Documentary • 22m

Featured on the video series, “Stepping Up: A Call For Courageous Manhood.”

Ricky Survine has been in prison since 1982 for aggrevated sexual assualt. His old life was over, but Ricky found a new life… a Christian life. This is the story of how a prisoner became a free man while still behind bars and led other inmates to do the same. Ricky also gets a surprise visitor, Robert Lewis; the man who mentored him to step up.

Director:
Scott Edge

Producers:
Bob Lepine

Edit:
Nolan Dean

Cast:
Ricky Survine, Robert Lewis

The project

"'Freedom' is relative...

… it’s a relative term, isn’t it? You can be in prison and free, kind of like the apostle Paul; or you can be at home or at the workplace and be suffering the worst kind of incarceration on the soul… But Ricky seems to me like a free man.” – Robert Lewis

“Ricky Survine: Stepping up” was featured in session 5 of FamilyLife’s “Stepping Up: A Call to Courageous Manhood” video series. Ricky’s story is a story of redemption. The documentary was created to show the world that the journey to manhood begins with a step of surrender.

The production

Two sides of the coin...

The production of Ricky’s story required 2 film crews and unprecidented access to a correctional facility in Colorado. The first crew went ahead to begin production with Ricky. Meanwhile, back in Arkansas, a crew stayed behind to document Robert Lewis’ preparation and journey to surprise Ricky.

As an added dimension, Robert’s pending visit was kept unknown to Ricky… until the door opens and they meet for the first time. The payoff was huge.