Citing a movie correctly in a Chicago style bibliography requires adhering to specific formatting rules, differentiating between books, journal articles, and films. This guide provides a clear breakdown of the required elements and stylistic nuances to ensure accurate and consistent referencing.
Understanding Chicago Style and Film Citations
The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) offers two primary citation systems: notes and bibliography and author-date. This article focuses on the notes and bibliography system, the more commonly used approach in the humanities. When citing a movie, it’s crucial to understand the different elements that must be included in your bibliography entry, such as the director, title, and release year. Moreover, understanding the specific formatting conventions for italics, quotation marks, and abbreviations will allow for the accurate portrayal of cited materials.
Building Your Chicago Style Movie Bibliography Entry
Crafting a proper bibliography entry for a movie involves careful attention to detail. Here’s a breakdown of the essential components and their specific formatting.
Required Elements and Formatting
A complete bibliography entry for a movie should include the following elements, formatted as follows:
- Director’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Movie.” Directed by Director’s First Name Last Name. Year of Release; Production Company, Year of Release.
For example:
- Spielberg, Steven. “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Directed by Steven Spielberg. 1981; Paramount Pictures, 1981.
Let’s break down each element:
- Director’s Name: List the director’s name in reverse order (Last Name, First Name).
- Title of Movie: Enclose the title in quotation marks.
- Directed by: This phrase indicates the director’s role.
- Year of Release: Include the original year of the movie’s release.
- Production Company, Year of Release: Include the production company followed by the original year of the movie’s release.
Addressing Multiple Directors
If a film has multiple directors, list them in the order they appear on the film’s credits, separating their names with “and.” For example:
- Wachowski, Lana, and Lilly Wachowski. “The Matrix.” Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski. 1999; Warner Bros., 1999.
Accessing and Citing Streaming Services
If you accessed the movie through a streaming service, include that information after the original production details. Add the phrase “Streaming video,” followed by the name of the service. For example:
- Spielberg, Steven. “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Directed by Steven Spielberg. 1981; Paramount Pictures, 1981. Streaming video, Netflix.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This section provides answers to common questions about citing movies in Chicago style, offering further clarity and practical guidance.
FAQ 1: How do I cite a movie scene or specific part of a movie in a note?
When referring to a specific scene or part of a movie in a footnote or endnote, provide the timestamp of the scene you are referencing. The format is as follows:
- Steven Spielberg, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” directed by Steven Spielberg, 1981; Paramount Pictures, 1981, 00:45:12-00:47:58.
This indicates the scene occurring between 45 minutes, 12 seconds, and 47 minutes, 58 seconds.
FAQ 2: What if the director is not listed?
If the director is not listed, you can omit the director’s name. However, it is strongly recommended to make every effort to find this information. If absolutely unavailable, start the citation with the movie’s title.
FAQ 3: How do I cite a movie with an original title and a translated title?
Provide both the original title and the translated title, separated by “/” (a forward slash). Indicate which language it is. For Example:
- Fellini, Federico. “La Dolce Vita / The Sweet Life.” Directed by Federico Fellini. 1960; Riama Film, 1960.
FAQ 4: What if I watched the movie on DVD or Blu-ray?
In such cases, you don’t need to specify the format (DVD or Blu-ray) unless it’s relevant to your argument. If the DVD or Blu-ray version is significantly different, add the format information.
FAQ 5: How do I cite a movie that’s part of a series or franchise?
Cite the specific movie title. You can mention the series in your text but not in the bibliography entry unless the series itself is the focus.
FAQ 6: Do I need to include the country of origin of the movie?
It’s generally not necessary unless it is relevant to your analysis. If it is, you can include it after the year of release:
- Spielberg, Steven. “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Directed by Steven Spielberg. 1981 (United States); Paramount Pictures, 1981.
FAQ 7: How do I cite a movie if I only saw it on a streaming service and have no other information?
Do your best to find the missing information. Resources like IMDb (Internet Movie Database) are usually helpful. If you absolutely cannot find the director or production company, cite the title and the streaming service.
FAQ 8: How do I cite a movie with a subtitle?
Include the subtitle after the main title, separated by a colon:
- Scott, Ridley. “Alien: Covenant.” Directed by Ridley Scott. 2017; 20th Century Fox, 2017.
FAQ 9: What if the film is a documentary?
Cite documentaries the same way you would cite feature films. The director remains the primary focus.
FAQ 10: How do I cite an online video that’s not a full-length movie (e.g., a short film on YouTube)?
Cite the video using the format for online videos. Include the creator (if known), title of the video (in quotation marks), the website name (in italics), and the URL. For example:
- Smith, John. “My Short Film.” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxxxxxx.
FAQ 11: Is it necessary to include actors’ names in the citation?
No, unless their performance is specifically central to your analysis. In that case, mention them in your text, not in the bibliography entry itself.
FAQ 12: What is the difference between a bibliography entry and a footnote/endnote entry for a movie in Chicago style?
The bibliography entry provides complete details of the film and appears at the end of your paper in the bibliography section. It follows the full format outlined above. Footnotes or endnotes offer more concise information when you are referencing the movie within the body of your text.
For example, a footnote entry could look like this:
- Steven Spielberg, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981; Paramount Pictures, 1981).
The full details are then listed in the bibliography. This allows you to provide citations within your text without cluttering it with all the information required in a bibliography. Remember, the first time you cite a work in a footnote, you use the full citation. Subsequent citations can be shortened.