Citing movies correctly is crucial for academic integrity and providing proper credit to the filmmakers, actors, and all contributors involved in the cinematic creation. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to cite films in various academic styles, ensuring your research is accurate and ethically sound.
Why Proper Citation Matters
Accurate citation isn’t just about avoiding plagiarism; it’s about acknowledging the intellectual property of others and allowing your readers to access the sources you used. In the context of film, this means recognizing the contributions of the director, writers, actors, and the entire production team. Moreover, precise citation shows that you’ve conducted thorough research and built your arguments upon credible sources.
Citation Styles: A Brief Overview
Different academic disciplines and publications adhere to different citation styles. The most common styles used for citing movies include:
- MLA (Modern Language Association): Commonly used in humanities disciplines.
- APA (American Psychological Association): Predominantly used in social sciences.
- Chicago (Turabian): Often used in history and other humanities.
Each style has specific guidelines for formatting citations. We’ll cover the specifics of each style in the sections below.
Citing Movies in MLA Format
MLA emphasizes the author and work being cited. In the context of film, the director is often treated as the “author.”
MLA Citation Structure
The general format for citing a movie in MLA is:
Director, Last Name, First Name, dir. Title of Movie. Production Company, Year of Release.
Example:
Scorsese, Martin, dir. Goodfellas. Warner Bros., 1990.
In-Text Citations (MLA)
In-text citations in MLA typically include the director’s last name and, if needed for clarity, the year of release.
Example:
Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990) is considered a cinematic masterpiece…
Citing Specific Scenes or Actors (MLA)
To cite a specific scene or actor, you can adapt the general format. If focusing on a specific actor’s performance, consider them as a contributor.
Example (Actor):
De Niro, Robert, perf. Goodfellas. Directed by Martin Scorsese, Warner Bros., 1990.
Example (Scene Description in Text, In-Text Citation):
The iconic “funny how?” scene showcases the film’s blend of humor and violence (Scorsese, 1990).
Citing Movies in APA Format
APA style focuses more on the date of publication and the responsibility for the work. While the director is important, the studio might be seen as the more responsible entity.
APA Citation Structure
The general format for citing a movie in APA is:
Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of movie [Motion picture]. Production Company.
Example:
Scorsese, M. (Director). (1990). Goodfellas [Motion picture]. Warner Bros.
In-Text Citations (APA)
In-text citations in APA include the director’s last name and the year of release.
Example:
…(Scorsese, 1990).
Citing Specific Scenes or Actors (APA)
Similar to MLA, you can adapt the general format to cite specific scenes or actors. You may need to provide a more detailed description within your text.
Example (Scene Description in Text, In-Text Citation):
The intensity of the “funny how?” scene exemplifies Scorsese’s masterful direction (Scorsese, 1990).
Citing Movies in Chicago (Turabian) Format
Chicago style offers two options: notes and bibliography, and author-date. Let’s focus on the notes and bibliography system, which is more common in the humanities.
Chicago Citation Structure (Notes and Bibliography)
Bibliography Entry:
Director, First Name Last Name. Title of Movie. Production Company, Year of Release.
Example:
Martin Scorsese. Goodfellas. Warner Bros., 1990.
Note:
- Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas (Warner Bros., 1990).
In-Text Citations (Chicago)
In Chicago style (notes and bibliography), you’ll use superscript numerals to indicate a footnote or endnote.
Example (In Text):
Scorsese’s Goodfellas is a seminal work of the gangster genre.1
Example (Footnote/Endnote):
- Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas (Warner Bros., 1990).
Citing Specific Scenes or Actors (Chicago)
Similar to the other styles, you can add specificity in your note or bibliography entry.
Example (Footnote/Endnote referencing Robert De Niro’s Performance):
- Robert De Niro, performance in Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas (Warner Bros., 1990).
Common Elements in Movie Citations
Regardless of the citation style, certain elements remain consistent:
- Director: The individual credited with the overall vision of the film.
- Title: The official title of the movie.
- Production Company: The company responsible for producing the film.
- Year of Release: The year the movie was released.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQ 1: What if a movie has multiple directors?
If a movie has multiple directors, list them in the order they appear in the credits, separating them with “and.” In MLA, use “dirs.” instead of “dir.” if there are multiple directors. In APA, use (Directors).
FAQ 2: How do I cite a movie I watched on a streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Prime?
Include the streaming service and the URL if available. For example, in MLA:
Scorsese, Martin, dir. Goodfellas. Warner Bros., Netflix, www.netflix.com/title/example.
In APA, include the streaming service in brackets after the title:
Scorsese, M. (Director). (1990). Goodfellas [Motion picture; streaming video]. Warner Bros., Netflix.
FAQ 3: What if the director is unknown?
If the director is unknown, you can start the citation with the title of the movie. In MLA, use “Director Unknown” instead. In APA, you can omit the director section entirely.
FAQ 4: How do I cite a movie that is part of a series?
Include the series title and the episode title (if applicable) after the movie title. For example, in MLA:
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. Directed by George Lucas, Lucasfilm, 1977.
FAQ 5: How do I cite a foreign film?
Cite the film using the original title. If you’re using the English-translated title in your paper, you can include the original title in brackets or parentheses after the English title. For example:
Amélie (Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain).
FAQ 6: Do I need to include the country of origin for a foreign film?
Including the country of origin is generally not necessary unless it is particularly relevant to your argument. However, some styles may require it in specific cases.
FAQ 7: How do I cite a DVD or Blu-ray?
Include the format (DVD or Blu-ray) and the distributor in your citation. For example, in MLA:
Scorsese, Martin, dir. Goodfellas. Warner Bros., 1990. DVD. Warner Home Video, 2007.
FAQ 8: How do I cite a documentary?
Cite a documentary the same way you would cite a feature film, using the director’s name and the title of the documentary.
FAQ 9: What if a movie is based on a book?
You can mention the book in your text, but you don’t typically need to include it in the citation for the movie itself. If you are analyzing the adaptation, you may want to provide a separate citation for the book.
FAQ 10: How do I cite the screenplay for a movie?
Cite the screenwriter(s) as the author(s). The title of the screenplay should be italicized.
FAQ 11: How do I cite an interview with someone involved in the movie?
Cite the interview as you would any other interview, including the interviewer’s name (if applicable), the interviewee’s name, the title of the interview (if applicable), and the publication or platform where the interview appeared.
FAQ 12: What if I’m using a citation management tool like Zotero or Mendeley?
Citation management tools can be incredibly helpful for organizing your research and generating citations. Make sure you select the correct citation style in your tool’s settings and double-check the generated citations to ensure accuracy. While helpful, these tools are not infallible and human oversight is crucial.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of citing movies accurately and effectively is essential for any student or researcher working with film. By understanding the nuances of different citation styles and adhering to best practices, you can ensure that your work is both credible and ethical, giving due credit to the creative minds behind the cinematic experiences we enjoy. Remember to consult the official style guides for the most up-to-date information and specific requirements.