WGA bans writers from joining Martin Scorsese, Randall Emmett film project

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Producer Randall Emmett, known for low-budget action films, has announced a high-profile partnership with Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese. Together, they plan to adapt the story of a deadly avalanche that occurred in 1982 near Lake Tahoe for the big screen.

According to Deadline, the movie project titled “Wall of White” is being developed and funded by Emmett’s entertainment company, Convergence Group.

However, on Wednesday, the Writers Guild of America West issued an official warning, disallowing their members from engaging in the movie’s production.

The guild pointed out that Emmett hadn’t paid writers for previous assignments, leading to his inclusion on their “blacklist” since 2020.

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According to the WGA’s statement in an email, Emmett has repeatedly failed to fulfill his commitments towards writers and the Guild has submitted multiple complaints against businesses linked to Emmett over the past ten years. Moreover, the guild regulations prevent its members from collaborating with or offering literary content to companies or individuals listed as being on strike or acting unfairly.

On Wednesday, Emmett chose not to share any insights. At that moment, neither Scorsese nor his associates could be reached for a response.

2022 saw an LA Times investigation and Hulu documentary focusing on Emmett, who’s been accused of abusing women, his assistants, and mistreating both his assistants and business associates. These allegations have been refuted by him.

The “Wall of White” initiative utilizes a 2010 book titled “Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche,” along with a 2021 documentary by the same name, as its primary sources. In a Northern California village during the spring of 1982, an intense storm dumped massive amounts of snow onto the mountainside. This avalanche thundered down the mountain and trapped eight individuals at a nearby ski resort. Sadly, seven lives were lost in this tragedy, while rescuers managed to save one woman from the debris.

According to IMDb, screenwriter Petter Skavlan (a member of the Writers Guild of America) is involved in the film project. On the other hand, book author Jennifer Woodlief, who is also credited as a screenwriter, is not a member of the Writers Guild of America, as per the guild records.

I’ve been following Emmett’s work closely, and it was he who brought the Netflix documentary to the attention of Scorsese, as mentioned in an article from March published in the Tahoe Guide. This piece highlighted how the local tragedy is being transformed into a feature film by Convergence and Scorsese.

The article referenced a press statement from Realization Films, a production company based in Northern California that encompasses documentarians Jared Drake and Steven Siig (of “Buried” documentary fame), along with executive producer Mark Gogolewski. As per their official site, all three have joined the Emmett project.

According to news outlets, it’s anticipated that the filming of the movie will commence toward the end of this year, but as of now, no director has been appointed for the project.

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Regardless of whether he’s known as Emmett or Ives, the contentious filmmaker and ex-star of ‘Vanderpump Rules’ persistently faces accusations about late bill payments and managing turbulent production environments.

In early 2022, Emmett partnered with Miami investor Joel Cohen to establish Convergence Entertainment Group. This move came after Emmett’s previous company, Emmett/Furla Oasis, had been overwhelmed by significant debt from former financiers and co-producers, leading to its collapse.

In 2021, the Writers Guild of America West successfully secured a $541,464 judgment against the bankrupt Emmett/Furla Oasis Films company. This victory came after the guild filed a lawsuit on behalf of writers who claimed they were underpaid for their work in 2019 on a television series that originally intended to star Arnold Schwarzenegger as the lead actor. However, Schwarzenegger withdrew from the project and the show was ultimately not produced.

With interest, the debt now tops $700,000, the guild says.

During the previous summer, the union decided to include 50 Feet Movies LLC, a company established for purchasing raw materials for Emmett’s projects, on their list of potential strikes.

Leila Azari, a senior WGA attorney, emphasized in an interview that it’s crucial for every WGA member to be aware of this project and understand that they are not allowed to collaborate with Convergence Entertainment Group or Randall Emmett on this project or any other project.

Hollywood Inc.

For Subscribers

After scandal, movie producer Randall Emmett is flying under the radar with a new name

Regardless of whether you know him as Emmett or Ives, the contentious TV producer and ex-star of ‘Vanderpump Rules’ persistently faces accusations about late bill payments and managing disorderly production environments.

As a cinephile, I find myself consistently impressed by Emmett’s resilience in the face of adversity. Despite the downfall of his past production company, a string of legal battles, and negative publicity, he persists in securing collaborations with influential producers and A-list actors for his low-budget film projects.

For over ten years, he’s been connected with Scorsese. In 2013, Emmett played an unexpected role as Scorsese’s benefactor, who had unsuccessfully sought funding for approximately fifteen years for a film project about Portuguese Jesuit priests from the 17th century, delving into Catholic persecution during that time.

Initially, none of the significant film production companies were interested in “Silence.” However, following a request from Scorsese’s representative, Ari Emanuel of WME, Emmett seized the opportunity without hesitation.

According to reports, Emmett and George Furla (who were partners at the time) are said to have contributed about half of the $46.5 million needed for the movie starring Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield.

Emmett received a producing credit on “The Irishman,” Martin Scorsese’s 2019 mob movie for Netflix, as a result of his support for the production of “Silence.” Later, he was nominated for an Oscar for his work on this film.

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2025-04-16 20:31