Sci-fi or Family?

[Cheese]

I just moved to LA, and I'm about to start looking for new representation. The scripts I've written thus far are the family friendly PG to PG-13 type, and they've been good enough to gain me some traction from afar.

The script I'm working on right now is a sci-fi thriller. It's one of those things that I just couldn't get out of my head, so I had to write it. And I think that once it's finished, it'll be the most marketable script I have to date.

So, which way to go?

If I manage to interest a rep who's more into family fare, I fear s/he might be put off by my decision to write my current story. I'm very well aware of reps' desire to pigeonhole new writers, and I'm cool with being thrown into the "family film guy" box. I'd be perfectly happy making a career of it.

But I'm really excited about the possibilities for this sci-fi thing. So, let's say I wait to hit the town with the sci-fi script. If I'm able to attract interest from a rep who's into sci-fi thrillers, I don't have a great answer for, "Great, what else you got?" I can throw out some concepts, but I don't have pages.

Or just approach the family reps now and the sci-fi reps later (if my efforts at landing a family rep prove unsuccessful)?

Thoughts?

[Levenger]

No such thing as "family reps" or "sci-fi reps"

Reps are reps and they want to rep good writers, no matter the genre. If your family scripts are great and your sci-fi script is great, then who gives a ****?

[snowman]

As somone who has written lots of family scripts even optioned and had close sales, the now thing is Sci fi. It's like pulling teeth to get companies to read family stuff, unless its inspirational stuff like Fireproof or the blind side. But my thiller, creature features, and rom coms get plenty of requests. So don't give up on family by no means as I haven't given up knocking on doors but I think your sci fi will get you lots more attention.

Snowman