hey all...i'm new to la...i just moved out here in oct. from nyc and i need help! i dont know which agencies to shoot for. how are the blind submissions out here? how do you meet agents and managers? are there panel nights anywhere? please help!

You can do casting director workshops at ITA (In The Act) Productions or Reel Pros, which have both come recommended to me. Also, Doug Warhit teaches a weekly on-camera class for I think $200 a month, which is very affordable and at the end of each month he has a casting director or agent come to watch you do your scene or monologue that you've been working on in his class. He is a very straight-forward, sort of sarcastic but not in a mean way king of teacher. I took his class briefly. I thought he gave me great career advice, and I will be forever grateful, but he made me feel so nervous in class that I began to hate acting. I guess if you're of the tougher type, check out his class. Maybe I'll go back in the future when I'm a little tougher myself.

First off, don't panic! There's no reason, really. Just make sure your rent and bills are paid.

If you haven't already, you may want to look into The Actors' Network (www.actors-network.com) in Studio City. It's a great resource for actors who are new in town. Several times a month, TAN offers a free and no-obligation orientation for interested parties.

Seriously, there's no need to panic about all the "how-tos." While I don't know your situation, it sounds like you're in some sort of hurry. But as they say, Hollywood is a marathon rather than a sprint -- so get ready for the long haul.