While college drama programs primarily focus on training and technique with western theatre history and aesthetics providing the context, nowhere in those programs does one find the study of business or marketing skills to facilitate the serious young actor's transition to the world of professional work. Inevitably, many thousands of these aspiring actors each year end up in Hollywood.But newcomers will find Hollywood a minefield and a maze, wasting limited resources of time and money out of ignorance of its business realities. "The Actor's Survival" Guide functions both as a business handbook and a guidebook for newcomers to Los Angeles planning to pursue a professional acting career.From the experience of relocating to LA, to the casting process, to the identifying (and finding work with) the key players in the film and television industry, "The Actor's Survival Guide" offers a business-centred road map through the pitfalls and wrong turns that derail too many promising careers and frustrate even the most dedicated of actors, and - for those who have the skills and determination to persevere - provides an extra competitive edge of experience and know-how.