Interested in more of my writing? Please see the loglines and synopses below. If you would like copy of a screenplay, please contact me at NickLatrenta@gmail.com and/or 201-805-8311. Websites for these projects to come. All screenplays are copyrighted and WGA registered.  

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SCI FI

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THE GLITCH

A group of human guinea pigs must bring down a scientist or else be tortured in a virtual world of carnivorous dinosaurs.

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• Semi-Finalist for Shriekfest Screenplay Competition Sci-Fi 2015 

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SYNOPSIS:

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For the third time now, Adella finds herself trapped in a gauntlet of dinosaur attacks. She goes to bed and wakes up in a huge building with a group of random people. They are continually attacked by ancient beasts like Pterodactyls, Raptors, and even a T-Rex. Every time a dinosaur maims someone, it disappears, all of the people’s injuries are cured, and a new dinosaur arises. The cycle continues for several hours. Adella and the group, which this time includes her old college friend Nolan, then always wake up in their homes without a scratch on them.

 

Nolan and Adella finally awaken and are determined to find and stop the mad scientist responsible for this tortuous virtual world. Their investigation leads them to Professor Nazar. The two are knocked unconscious and wake up strapped to operating tables in a science lab with Nazar, his grandson Harvey, and their henchman, Billy. The three have been working together for years developing a virtual reality program to torture unsuspecting victims. The ultimate goal is to see if someone could actually die in the program. Nazar reveals that he and Harvey had been stalking his victims, slipping a microchip in their drinks. When the recipient is asleep, the program is controlled via this science lab’s computers. Billy reveals his obsession with Adella, which is why she is constantly in the program. 

 

Harvey, struggling with his morals, has hacked the program to give the humans an advantage. Billy attacks Harvey. During the struggle, Nolan’s table is knocked over, breaking free his straps. Both he and Adella are freed from the program. Billy knocks out Harvey, but Nolan, now awake, fights Billy off, who eventually runs out of the building. 

 

Adella destroys all of the equipment in the room in a fit of rage. She then attaches Nazar to the machine and pulls the lever. Nazar is in the virtual reality and becomes a plaything for a T-Rex.

 

Adella and Nolan leave and Nazar is alone in the room. Later, a man enters and surveys the damage. He says to Nazar, “You fool. Now we have to start all over again.” The man is a work colleague of Nolan who has been monitoring him all along.

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ACTION / COMEDY

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NUNCHUCKS

An aspiring comic book artist must defeat the ninjas that attack him constantly or they will prevent him from getting a job.

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• Finalist for Hollywood Screenplay Contest 2011

• Finalist for the New-Media Fest in Tempe, Arizona 2011

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SYNOPSIS:

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Peter is fresh out of college and trying to find a decent job. This economy is bad enough for anyone to find work in, let alone a sketch artist whose dream is to draw for comic books. Peter’s stress in finding work is multiplied by a variety of factors. His parents are on his back to get a “real job” aside from drawing. His part-time work at the comic book shop pays poorly and an old college professor, who visits him constantly at the store, insists that Peter has no talent. The young man is also constantly being rejected from his favorite comic book company, MC Comics. 

 

Every time Peter is faced with a major decision, ninjas attack him. They appear at his work, out of storage and delivery boxes, on the subway, in the park, at a pool hall – yet no one else seems to notice them. 

 

Peter is constantly fighting but winning these epic battles against insurmountable odds. Afterwards, He always makes the right decision, usually with the help of his brother, Parker, or by the girl he's dating, Diana King. His luck seems to change for the better as he gets a job with a struggling comic book publisher, Spike Comics. However, the job is short-lived and even more problems arise with his parents, his brother, and his girlfriend. 

 

Peter starts to lose the Ninja battles and is hiding in fear from the Ultimate Ninja - a giant of a human being that stalks him like a hyena would stalk prey. Finally, Peter gets guidance from the family's Minister to face his fears and persevere through hard times and even failure. He has one last battle and with the help of Diana and Parker and defeats the Ultimate Ninja. Peter then miraculously hears back from MC Comics. Not long after, he gives his old professor a copy of "Nunchucks" - a best selling Graphic Novel drawn by Peter himself.

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POSSESSED GPS

A man must find a way to get rid of his GPS, which has taken on a mind of its own, or else let it ruin his life. 

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SYNOPSIS:

 

Tom Tomson hates his GPS, a brand called “Pom-Pom”. On his first day driving to work, it takes him down the wrong way of a one-way street and almost causes him to collide into a truck.  He is unable to remove Pom-Pom from his car, as if it is cemented to his dashboard. Tom gets a flat tire, pulls over to change it, and discovers Pom-Pom’s screen looking out the window with an eerie electronic face staring at him. 

 

After a series of terrible incidents, Tom attempts again to remove the GPS  – this time using a hacksaw to the wire and a tire iron to knock it off its pedestal. He victoriously throws the machine into the trash.

 

One day while Tom is out, Pom-Pom burns its way out of the garbage can and rolls back into his car. Tom picks up Garmin, the woman he is seeing, for a date. Pom-Pom completely takes over the vehicle! It is a struggle for control as they nearly collide into trees and houses. Garmin gets knocked out of the car and is severely injured. She is nearly run over when Pom-Pom finally speaks. It tells Tom to do what it says or it will kill Garmin. He obeys and drives away.

 

Pom-Pom prods at Tom’s psyche, bringing up horrible memories from his childhood. Tom’s dream was to pitch for professional baseball but he blew the big game in the little leagues. The coach told him he was useless and would amount to nothing. This stuck with Tom for all of his life. Pom-Pom echoes the coach’s words.

 

Tom drives to the edge of a large cliff and Pom-Pom tells him to jump off. The GPS implies to be from hell and claims to have knowledge that Garmin has died from her injuries.

 

Tom, stricken with guilt, nearly jumps when he gets a call from a very alive Garmin. He then picks up a rock and throws the best pitch of his life at Pom-Pom, knocking it to the back of the car. He puts a rock on the gas pedal and it goes flying off the cliff and crashing to the ground with Pom-Pom in it. It explodes and Tom triumphantly says, “Navigate that, bitch.”

 

He walks away. Amidst the rubble…Pom-Pom turns back on, with a hellish face.

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MORE FAITH BASED​

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“From Something Edible to Something Beautiful” is a faith-based comedy about a recovering glutton’s sanity and diet being put to the ultimate test when he is trapped at a dinner party full of his greatest temptations and must stay strong for his health and to  win back his ex-girlfriend. 

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• Selected for Christian Online Film Festival 2022

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Joshua King receives the most horrible news he can imagine…he must diet. His poor eating habits have led to high triglycerides and he now must abstain from dairy, carbohydrates, red meat, and sweets. A Christian man, a teacher of English as a second language, and in his 30s, he tries his best to adhere to this new lifestyle change. 

 

In the midst of this, he tries to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend, Iris. After a misunderstanding through text messages, Joshua thinks that this ship has sailed. He takes a weekend job tutoring an Italian millionaire, Domenico Boca, in English. After a great lesson, Domenico invites Joshua to a party in his mansion. Iris works as a server for the guests and gives Joshua the cold shoulder. 

 

Joshua discovers that his closest friends, Patrick and Alan, are at this party and something else…Domenico runs a company that sells Italian cheeses. The food is prevalent at the party along with everything else that he is not supposed to eat. Joshua tries to leave, but the mansion is locked down. He finds out that someone has stolen a golden cheese trophy, one of Dominico’s most prized possessions, and the mansion has been locked down to catch the culprit.

 

An amateur sleuth, Joshua finds out that the huge bodyguard, Zane, and another server, Candy, stole the trophy. Joshua and Iris reconcile and work together to try to get back the trophy. Along the way, they are guided by a mysterious chef, Angelo. He seems to be there whenever they need him. He always has the right things to say.

 

Joshua and Iris confront Zane and Candy. They discover that Zane has been physically abusing her and even sees it happen right in front of them. Joshua, Patrick, and Alan are forced to fight Zane. Angelo rescues them, knocking Zane out with one punch. 

 

The mansion is finally released from lockdown and everyone is outside with paramedics and police. Angelo looks to the sky, nods to Joshua, and walks off. Joshua and Iris embrace. 

 

Domenico, happy that his trophy is returned, relaxes with his wife, Violeta. She says to him in Italian, “Non vuole più solo qualcosa di commestibile. Il loro amore viene da qualcosa di molto più grande di loro. È qualcosa di bello.” Translated: “He no longer just wants something edible. Their love comes from something much greater than them. It is something beautiful.”

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SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL was rewritten as "From Something Edible to something beautiful. The original story was a:

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• Finalist for Hollywood Screenplay Contest 2011

• Finalist for the New-Media Fest in Tempe, Arizona 2011