Every time you pitch something, you are telling two stories at the same time. The guy who wrote Deadpool reveals only ONE story gets noticed...

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams speaks with acclaimed screenwriter and producer Rhett Reese, co-writer of Deadpool, Zombieland, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, whose films with longtime writing partner Paul Wernick have grossed over $3 billion. A Stanford classmate of Matt’s from the psychology department, Rhett brings the discipline of a comedy writer to saying more with less. Adding to that, he brings a rare candor about what AI means for the business that made him.

Together, they discuss:
• The most ruthless edit in a blockbuster script is everything that gets taken away.
• Every pitch is secretly two stories at once. And the second one isn't about the movie at all
• The exact placement of the funniest word matters more than the joke itself because a joke can die from one extra word.
• A deceptively simple tie-breaking rule responsible for the survival of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick’s two-decade creative partnership.
• Will generative tech flood the studios with slop and wipe out film jobs, or kick the gates open for the next Christopher Nolan?
• Escaping typecasting happens in half steps, moves so small nobody objects until the range is undeniable

Reese keeps circling back to the same idea in almost all of his responses, whether it's about the funniest word landing last, the executive becoming the hero of his own pitch, or even AI - the one subject he can't resolve. And the idea is simple: the moment belongs to whoever wants it the most.

About The Guest
American screenwriter and producer Rhett Reese is well recognized for co-writing the popular movies G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Zombieland, and Deadpool. Together with his longtime partner Paul Wernick, he has earned over $3 billion in global box office receipts. He is a psychology graduate from Stanford University and a vocal advocate for the impact of AI on television and movies.

About Matt
Matt Abrahams is a leading communication expert, lecturer in organizational behavior at Stanford GSB, and host of the award-winning Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast. He has coached presenters at TED, the World Economic Forum, and the UN Secretary-General's office, and his online talks have garnered millions of views worldwide. He is the author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter and Speaking Up without Freaking Out, two bestselling guides to confident, spontaneous communication.

Key Quotes
• "I am pretty ruthless when it comes to reducing a line to its absolute essential number of words." - Rhett Reese (01:52)
• "We're all salespeople at the end of the day." - Rhett Reese (04:15)
• "Whoever cares the most wins. That's the rule." - Rhett Reese (09:02)
• "I'm about 85% terrified and about 15% really excited." - Rhett Reese (14:45)
• "When you lose faith in a speaker's honesty, you can take almost nothing from what they say." - Rhett Reese (22:00)

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:22 Don't Step on the Laugh
03:59 Pitch Once, Sell Twice
08:17 The Collaborative Tie-Breaker That Works
13:26 The Deepfake That Changed His Mind
17:51 Matt's 3 Questions
24:24 Conclusion

Relevant Links:
Rhett Reese: https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/rhett-reese/

Episode References:
• Ep. 167. How To Apply Hollywood's Storytelling Secrets To Your Business
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtuFgC1baFs

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