Writers Guild Places Producer Steve Small on Strike List

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As a seasoned movie enthusiast with a keen eye for industry intrigue, I can’t help but feel a sense of deja vu reading about Steve Small and his company Fifty Feet Movie, LLC being placed on the Writers Guild of America West’s Strike/Unfair List. It seems like every other Hollywood headline these days involves some form of financial mismanagement or questionable behavior.

The Writers Guild of America West has imposed a ban on its members collaborating with producer Steve Small and his production firm, Fifty Feet Movie, LLC.

On Wednesday, the union informed its members that they should avoid any association with Small, a previous Paradigm representative and Emmett/Furla Films executive, who produced movies like “The Hungover Games” (2014), “Cash Out” (2024), and the upcoming “Armored“. His company, Fifty Feet Movie, LLC, has been added to the union’s Strike/Unfair List. According to the union’s regulations, members are forbidden from collaborating with individuals or entities on this list, or they may face penalties. Prior to this action, Fifty Feet Movie, LLC had agreed to the union’s primary contract, known as the minimum basic agreement.

The labor union presented several grounds for relocating. According to the union, they concluded that Fifty Feet Movie, LLC was not financially reliable and would struggle to fulfill its MBA obligations on various titles such as “Cash Out” and forthcoming productions like “Alarum” and “The Epiphany.” Consequently, they requested a guarantee bond. The union reported that so far, Fifty Feet has neglected to provide the required bond as stated in Article 42.

In the movie “Cash Out,” John Travolta and Kristin Davis take on leading roles, whereas Sylvester Stallone and Scott Eastwood headline “Alarum.” Interestingly, Stallone is not only the lead in “Alarum” but also stars in another film titled “The Epiphany.”

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Small for comment.

One more point to consider is that Randall Emmett, producer of both Gotti and Silence, is a key figure in Small’s Convergence Entertainment Group, which stands as the corporate guarantor for Fifty Feet. According to the union, this was the reason he was added to their strike list along with his partner George Furla in 2020. The union claims that Emmett found himself on this list due to companies under his supervision owing approximately $712,000 in wages, pension, health benefits, and interest to four writers from the TV series Pump.

Two years after the initial incident, The Los Angeles Times revealed accusations against Emmett involving inappropriate conduct towards women. In one instance, he was alleged to have suggested a trade of work on a project for a sexual favor, and mistreatment of assistants. However, Emmett denied these allegations. At that time, Small told The Times that he had not witnessed any unprofessional behavior while working with Emmett. In April, it was reported that Emmett was directing the film “Cash Out” under his middle name “Ives.”

In their Wednesday communication, the union advised any of its members who receive job offers from Small, Emmett, Fifty Feet Movie, LLC, Convergence Entertainment Group, or similar entities, to reach out to their legal team for guidance.

In 2023, Convergence Entertainment Group was established with an aim to function as a studio that caters to filmmakers and talents. This was shared by Small, during his conversation with Deadline. The article also highlighted that Small is a lawyer from the California State Bar and previously served as the president of production and development at Emmett/Furla Films.

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2024-08-14 22:25