Writers Guild West Bars Members From Working on Martin Scorsese-Produced Film Due to Randall Emmett’s Role

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In the beginning of March, Martin Scorsese’s upcoming project was announced by Deadline: a movie based on a true story about the devastating avalanche in 1982 that tragically struck the Alpine Meadows ski resort located close to Lake Tahoe.

The endeavor seems a captivating exploration into American history, similar to the works of the director behind both “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “The Irishman”. However, there’s a snag: Members of Hollywood’s influential writers’ guild are prohibited from participating in this project.

On Wednesday, the Writers Guild of America West advised its members against participating in the project known as “Wall of White”. This decision was due to certain contributors associated with the project being on a strike/unfair list maintained by the union, and because the production company and financier, Convergence Entertainment Group, has not signed the union’s contract. The producer involved, Randall Emmett, is also listed on the union’s strike/unfair list.

The Guild’s guidelines state that its members cannot take on work or offer literary content to firms or persons on the Strike/Unfair List, or those not bound by the current MBA agreement, a fact that the union has emphasized,” the union reminded its members, with The Los Angeles Times being the first to report this reminder.

The Hollywood Reporter contacted the co-president of Convergence Entertainment Group, as well as Martin Scorsese’s representatives, seeking their response on a matter.

In 2020, Emmett was initially barred by the union because the Writers Guild of America West alleged that his company, Emmett Furla Oasis Films, and George Furla’s company, Pumped, LLC, had failed to pay hundreds of thousands in compensation, pension contributions, health benefits, and interest to four writers on the television project called “Pump.” At one time, Arnold Schwarzenegger was associated with “Pump,” which was established at CBS Television Studios.

At that point, an attorney representing Emmett and Furla informed THR that they were actively working towards resolving the issue at hand. The lawyer also alleged that the WGA West was trying to bypass the legal system and effectively blacklist their clients. Despite this, Emmett and Furla continue to be listed in the strike/unfair category.

In 2024, the union brought Convergence Entertainment Group to the attention of its members. That same year, the union prohibited its members from collaborating with Fifty Feet Movie, LLC and producer Steve Smalls because they were accused of not providing a surety bond. It was mentioned that Emmett held a management position at Convergence Entertainment, which served as the corporate guarantor for this company. The films Cash Out, Alarum, and Epiphany, produced by Fifty Feet Movie, LLC, were named by the union as projects that Emmett supposedly produced under the alias “Ives.

Martin Scorsese is connected as a producer for the movie titled “Wall of White” alongside Emmett, as reported by Deadline. This upcoming film, based on the 2021 documentary “Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche“, is currently searching for a director to take the helm.

Scorsese and Emmett have collaborated in the past on some of the director’s passion projects. They joined forces to create the 2016 religious epic drama “Silence“, a project that had been in development for 28 years, and the 2019 crime-corruption drama “The Irishman“, which Scorsese had long been trying to realize with his desired budget.

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2025-04-16 22:24