L.U.D.S, LUDS or LUDs?

[Andrea]

Has anyone ever seen how the acronym "LUDS" is written (police talk for
phone records)? I'm working on a Special Victims Unit spec and would like
to use it in my script but only if I can spell it correctly. I know it
stands for Local Usage Detail so I'm confident it's LUD but is that with or
without periods? LUD or L.U.D.? And since it's mostly used in the plural
form, would that be LUDS or LUDs? Anyone know?

Thanks!

Andrea

[RonB]

Post by Andrea
Has anyone ever seen how the acronym "LUDS" is written (police talk
for phone records)? I'm working on a Special Victims Unit spec and
would like to use it in my script but only if I can spell it
correctly. I know it stands for Local Usage Detail so I'm confident
it's LUD but is that with or without periods? LUD or L.U.D.? And
since it's mostly used in the plural form, would that be LUDS or LUDs?
Anyone know?

It looks like LUDs. At least that's what the following would indicate:

From: http://experts.about.com/q/1130/2282478.htm

----
TOPIC: Law & Order

Expert:Kitteridge Montague
Date:4/1/2002
Subject:luds or logs?

Question
What does LUDS stand for? When checking someones telephone records, they
refer to what sounds like, LUDS.. or is it LOGS?
Thanks

Answer
No, you heard right -- the acronym is "LUDs" (similar to MUDs) -- "Local
Usage Detail" (apparently MUDs is "Metro Usage Detail") -- which is, as
you'd noted, a list of someone's local telephone calls.

I'm very conscious of who I call now, knowing the cops could get that
info very easily! Not that they have any reason to....

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kitt
----

You might want to search a little more on Google for confirmation.

[Andrea]

Thanks Ron. Interesting link too.

Post by RonB
From: http://experts.about.com/q/1130/2282478.htm

[Jacques E. Bouchard]

Post by Andrea
Has anyone ever seen how the acronym "LUDS" is written (police talk
for phone records)? I'm working on a Special Victims Unit spec and
would like to use it in my script but only if I can spell it
correctly. I know it stands for Local Usage Detail so I'm confident
it's LUD but is that with or without periods? LUD or L.U.D.? And
since it's mostly used in the plural form, would that be LUDS or

LUDs?

Post by Andrea
Anyone know?

Is your audience going to know what an LUD is without explaining
it? Is explaining it going to sound like poor exposition? Is it spelled
out or pronounced as one word?

Those are the questions that will give you your answer.



jaybee

[MC]

Post by Jacques E. Bouchard
Is your audience going to know what an LUD is without explaining
it? Is explaining it going to sound like poor exposition? Is it spelled
out or pronounced as one word?
Those are the questions that will give you your answer.

They use the term constantly on L&O and this is an L&O spec so I think
it's probably OK.

[Steven J. Weller]

Post by Jacques E. Bouchard

Post by Andrea
Has anyone ever seen how the acronym "LUDS" is written (police talk
for phone records)? I'm working on a Special Victims Unit spec and
would like to use it in my script but only if I can spell it
correctly. I know it stands for Local Usage Detail so I'm confident
it's LUD but is that with or without periods? LUD or L.U.D.? And
since it's mostly used in the plural form, would that be LUDS or
LUDs?
Anyone know?

Is your audience going to know what an LUD is without explaining
it? Is explaining it going to sound like poor exposition? Is it spelled
out or pronounced as one word?
Those are the questions that will give you your answer.

It's a spec SVU script, where they use the term all the time. He's just
asking about spelling.

[Jacques E. Bouchard]

Post by Steven J. Weller

Post by Jacques E. Bouchard
Is your audience going to know what an LUD is without explaining
it? Is explaining it going to sound like poor exposition? Is it
spelled out or pronounced as one word?
Those are the questions that will give you your answer.

It's a spec SVU script, where they use the term all the time. He's
just asking about spelling.

Well then, Andrea should spell it as it would be pronounced on
the show.



jaybee

[MC]

Post by Jacques E. Bouchard

Post by Steven J. Weller
It's a spec SVU script, where they use the term all the time. He's
just asking about spelling.

Well then, Andrea should spell it as it would be pronounced on
the show.

Actually, the best solution would be to get her hands on a few L&O
scripts and see how *they* do it. It's a good thing to do that anyway,
because each show has its own little quirks and conventions and if a
spec conforms to them that is only beneficial.

[Andrea]

I got my hands on some SVU scripts and even though they do say "LUDs" all
the time on the show, wouldn't you know it, it's never mentioned in the four
produced scripts I have. But you're right, it's extremely helpful to read
scripts of the show you're spec-ing. For instance, I was surprised to see
how economical they are with their scene description/set-up. Here's an
example:

INT. HUANG'S OFFICE - DAY

Huang working. A knock at the door. Cabot.

And then the dialogue starts. Makes for a fast-moving read and reminds you
to resist including unnecessary details.

Andrea

Post by MC
Actually, the best solution would be to get her hands on a few L&O
scripts and see how *they* do it. It's a good thing to do that anyway,
because each show has its own little quirks and conventions and if a
spec conforms to them that is only beneficial.

[MC]

Post by Andrea
INT. HUANG'S OFFICE - DAY
Huang working. A knock at the door. Cabot.
And then the dialogue starts. Makes for a fast-moving read and reminds you
to resist including unnecessary details.

I did a spec Sopranos script and got my hands on a real one rto help me
"get" the tone. Their shorthand includes "Hugs and backslaps" for, well,
all those hugs and backslaps whenever the guys meet. It's all that's
necessary -- in context.

I wouldn't do it in a spec I was writing from scratch. But these are
real scripts from real shows and they don't need the same level of
detail.

[WRabkin]

Post by Andrea
I know it
stands for Local Usage Detail so I'm confident it's LUD but is that with or
without periods?

Wow!

Speaking as a veteran TV professional, I'd like to say that you may be the only
writer in the country who actually knows what LUDS stands for -- and that
includes the people who use it all the time on Law and Order!

You rock!

[Andrea]

Thanks. I like to think I rock from time to time. But to be honest I just
found out what LUDs stands for when doing a search on the internet in the
hopes of finding the correct way of writing it. Actually Bill, I have you
to (hopefully) thank for writing this SVU spec. If you remember, you and
your book talked me out of writing a pilot to serve as a writing sample. I
think that was good advice.

Andrea

Post by WRabkin
Wow!
Speaking as a veteran TV professional, I'd like to say that you may be the only
writer in the country who actually knows what LUDS stands for -- and that
includes the people who use it all the time on Law and Order!
You rock!

[atwifa]

make sure not to get mixed up with 'ludes. that's a different thing
altogether.




"Weren't the '70s great?"

[WRabkin]

Post by Andrea
If you remember, you and
your book talked me out of writing a pilot to serve as a writing sample. I
think that was good advice.

I'm thrilled you took it. Good luck with the SVU.