The proper way to cite a movie quote in APA style involves referencing both the movie itself and specifying the exact moment the quote appears, typically using a timestamp. This ensures readers can easily locate the quoted material within the film.
Understanding APA Movie Citation Essentials
Citing sources accurately is paramount in academic writing, and movies are no exception. When incorporating dialogue from films into your work, adhering to the American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines is crucial for maintaining credibility and avoiding plagiarism. The key to citing movie quotes effectively in APA rests on providing enough information for your reader to locate the exact passage you’re referencing. This means including details not only about the film itself but also the specific timing of the quoted dialogue.
Building Your Reference List Entry
The first step is crafting the reference list entry, which provides the fundamental bibliographic information about the movie. This entry allows readers to easily identify the film you used as a source.
Basic Reference Format
The general format for a movie reference in APA is:
Last Name, Initial(s). (Director). (Year). Title of movie [Film]. Production Company.
- Last Name, Initial(s). (Director): Start with the director’s last name, followed by a comma and their initials. It is the director whose name appears here, not the screenwriter or actors.
- (Year): Provide the year the movie was released.
- Title of movie: Include the full title of the movie in italics. Use title case capitalization (capitalize the first letter of major words).
- [Film]: Indicate that the source is a film by including this bracketed descriptor.
- Production Company: List the main production company or companies involved in creating the film. Separate multiple companies with a semicolon.
Example Reference Entry
Here’s an example for the movie The Shawshank Redemption:
Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption [Film]. Castle Rock Entertainment.
Multiple Production Companies
If a film has multiple production companies, list them all, separating them with semicolons. This provides a more complete picture of the film’s origins.
For example:
Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). Jurassic Park [Film]. Amblin Entertainment; Universal Pictures.
In-Text Citation: Bringing the Quote to Life
The in-text citation is what you’ll use within your paper, directly after the quoted material. It connects the quote to the corresponding entry in your reference list and provides a way for readers to quickly find the source.
Basic In-Text Citation Format
When citing a movie quote in the text of your paper, include the director’s last name, the year of release, and a timestamp indicating where the quote occurs in the film.
The format is:
(Director’s Last Name, Year, Timestamp).
Timestamp Precision
The timestamp should indicate the hour, minute, and second where the quote begins. This level of precision is crucial for allowing your readers to locate the exact line you are referencing.
Example In-Text Citation
Using The Shawshank Redemption example, if you’re quoting a line that starts at 01:23:45 (1 hour, 23 minutes, and 45 seconds into the movie), the in-text citation would be:
(Darabont, 1994, 01:23:45).
Integrating the Quote into Your Sentence
You can integrate the quote and citation seamlessly into your sentences. For example:
As Red says, reflecting on Andy’s unwavering hope, “Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies” (Darabont, 1994, 01:45:22).
Block Quotes and Movie Dialogue
For longer movie quotes (generally 40 words or more), use a block quote format. Indent the entire quote half an inch from the left margin. The in-text citation goes after the closing punctuation of the quote.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions about citing movie quotes in APA style:
FAQ 1: What if the director is unknown?
If the director is unknown, you can use “Director Unknown” in the reference list entry. The in-text citation would then use “Director Unknown” along with the year and timestamp. For example: (Director Unknown, 2001, 00:30:15). However, always try to find the director’s name first.
FAQ 2: How do I cite a specific scene from a movie if I’m not directly quoting dialogue?
If you’re describing a scene rather than quoting dialogue, you still need to provide an in-text citation with the timestamp. For example: (Darabont, 1994, 00:15:00-00:17:30) to indicate a scene that runs from 15:00 to 17:30. The reference list entry remains the same.
FAQ 3: What if the movie is a documentary?
The citation format for a documentary is the same as for a feature film. Include the director, year, title, “[Film],” and production company. The in-text citation will also follow the same format with the director’s last name, year, and timestamp.
FAQ 4: Can I use a streaming service as the production company?
Generally, you should identify the original production companies, not the streaming service. If you can’t determine the original production companies, citing the streaming service is acceptable. However, prioritize finding the original production details.
FAQ 5: What if there are multiple directors?
If a movie has multiple directors, list them all in the reference entry, separated by commas. For example: Smith, J., & Jones, A. (Directors). The in-text citation would then list both directors: (Smith & Jones, 2020, 00:22:10).
FAQ 6: Is it necessary to include the screenwriter’s name?
While the screenwriter contributes significantly to the film, APA style focuses on the director for the reference entry and in-text citation of a movie. The screenwriter is not typically included unless you are specifically discussing the script itself as a separate entity (like if the screenplay was published separately).
FAQ 7: What if the movie is based on a book? Do I need to cite the book as well?
If you are directly quoting the movie, cite the movie using the guidelines above. If you are referencing the book upon which the movie is based, then cite the book according to APA guidelines for books. If you use information from both, you would cite both sources.
FAQ 8: How do I handle translated subtitles when citing a foreign film?
Cite the film as you normally would. In your writing, acknowledge that the quote is a translation. For example: “As Amélie reflects on her life, she observes (translated), ‘Times are hard for dreamers’ (Jeunet, 2001, 00:35:40).”
FAQ 9: What about animated movies?
The citation format for animated movies is identical to that of live-action films. The director is still the primary figure to be credited in the reference entry and in-text citations.
FAQ 10: Do I need to include the genre of the film in the citation?
No, the genre of the film is not included in the APA citation. Only include the information specified in the basic reference format (director, year, title, “[Film],” and production company).
FAQ 11: What if I am analyzing the film in general and not using specific quotes?
Even if you are not directly quoting, you should still cite the film when discussing it extensively. In this case, you would use the director and year in the in-text citation. For example: (Darabont, 1994). This acknowledges that your analysis is based on the film as a whole.
FAQ 12: How do I cite a scene that doesn’t have a clear start and end point?
Determining a precise timestamp can be challenging for scenes without clear beginnings or endings. In these cases, provide your best estimate for the starting timestamp. The goal is to help the reader locate the general area of the scene you are referencing within the film.