If the City of Angels, with all its glitter and shine, is calling your name, you had better start planning before you head out West to see the stars.

There are countless things to do in Los Angeles, but what many people choose to do is sit in on the filming of their favorite TV shows.

Audience Unlimited Inc. is one of several companies that helps make this possible. The company currently deals only with shows in the Los Angeles area but is hired by all of the major networks to distribute free tickets for 19 different studios and more than 40 shows.

Many shows have live audiences. In fact, Audience Unlimited estimates that it distributes tens of thousands of tickets every year.

"The majority of sitcoms, game shows and talk shows are produced before studio audiences," Tickets Department Manager Steve Sheets said. "We handle tickets for 40 to 50 shows and 50 to 60 pilots every year."

The live audience plays a crucial role in the filming of many TV shows.

"The actors appreciate the immediate response they receive from a live audience," Sheets said. "The applause and laughter are very important to the production, both in the studio and on the 'soundtrack' you hear on TV."

By picking up the telephone, a person can get tickets to any number of shows, including Friends, Will & Grace, Saved By the Bell and Mad About You.

Tickets are given away beginning 30 days in advance of filming dates, so advance planning is necessary to catch your favorite star at work.

It is even possible to get tickets for a very large group of people. Groups of more than 40 people are provided with transportation to the studio. However, group tickets are not made available for the most popular shows, which tend to run out of tickets the quickest.

Don't assume that tickets guarantee a spot in the audience. Many studios distribute more tickets than they have seats for, or they won't assign seating. The result is people will show up to a filming hours before the show starts to secure good seats.

Other complications are age restrictions for the filming of many shows. Live viewers must be 18 or older to see, among others, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Friends and News Radio.

Some studios cite length of filming as the reason for not allowing younger viewers; others say it is for safety reasons because of heavy equipment used to film TV shows, but most say it is a result of past experience.

"Some shows have had younger age restrictions but had problems with improperly supervised children calling out during a show," Sheets said. "The audience is recorded for applause and laughter, and a young person calling out to his or her favorite star will cause production to stop and the scene to be reshot."

While they do not want people calling out to their favorite stars, the Audience Unlimited Web site said guests might meet stars of shows after filming. They go on, though, to say that this is not always possible.

Tickets can be ordered by calling 818-753-3470 ext. 14 or by checking out Audience Unlimited's site, www.tvtickets.com.