Citing movies correctly in APA (American Psychological Association) style is crucial for academic integrity and providing proper credit to the creators. The general format involves listing the director(s) as author(s), followed by the year of release, the movie title (italicized), the medium (e.g., Film), and the production company. This guide will walk you through the intricacies of APA movie citations, providing clear examples and addressing common questions.
Understanding the Core Elements of an APA Movie Citation
At its heart, an APA movie citation aims to provide readers with enough information to locate the cited work easily. This means accurately representing the key players involved in the film’s creation and offering readily searchable details. The structure deviates slightly from that of a typical book or journal citation, as the “author” in this context is the director or directors.
The General Format
The fundamental structure for citing a movie in APA style is as follows:
Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of movie. [Medium]. Production Company.
Let’s break down each element:
- Director, A. A.: List the director’s last name, followed by a comma and their initials. If a movie has multiple directors, list all of them, separated by commas, using the “&” symbol before the last director.
- (Director): This clarifies the role of the individual(s) listed before.
- (Year): This is the year the movie was released, not necessarily the year it was filmed.
- Title of movie: The full title of the movie, italicized. Capitalize only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon or em dash, and proper nouns.
- [Medium]: Indicate the medium in square brackets. The most common mediums are “Film,” “Video,” or “Television series.”
- Production Company: The name of the production company responsible for the film’s creation.
Example Citation
Here’s an example of a correctly formatted APA movie citation:
Nolan, C. (Director). (2010). Inception. [Film]. Warner Bros.
In-Text Citations for Movies
When referencing a movie within your paper, you need to use an in-text citation. The basic format is:
(Director’s Last Name, Year)
For example:
(Nolan, 2010)
If you mention the director’s name in the sentence, you only need to include the year in the parentheses:
Nolan (2010) masterfully blends reality and dreams in Inception.
If you are citing a specific scene or quote, you may include a timestamp in the in-text citation. For example: (Nolan, 2010, 01:15:20). However, providing timestamps is not a mandatory APA requirement for citing movies.
Citing Different Movie Formats
The basic format remains the same, but the medium descriptor changes depending on how you accessed the movie:
- DVD/Blu-ray: [Film] is used.
- Streaming Service (e.g., Netflix, Hulu): [Film] is generally used, as the content is still the film itself. You may also include the service in the source element (see FAQs).
- Television Series Episode: This requires a slightly different format focusing on the episode director and series creators (see FAQs).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Citing Movies in APA
Here are some common questions and detailed answers to further clarify the process:
FAQ 1: What if a movie has multiple directors?
If a movie has multiple directors, list them all in the reference list, separated by commas, and use the “&” symbol before the final director’s name. For example:
Russo, A., & Russo, J. (Directors). (2019). Avengers: Endgame. [Film]. Marvel Studios.
In the in-text citation, include both last names: (Russo & Russo, 2019). If there are more than two directors, use “et al.” after the first director’s name in the in-text citation: (Russo et al., 2019).
FAQ 2: How do I cite a movie I streamed online?
The basic format stays the same. While APA doesn’t explicitly require including the streaming service, many instructors prefer you to do so for clarity. In this case, place the streaming service after the production company and before the period. For example:
Nolan, C. (Director). (2010). Inception. [Film]. Warner Bros. Netflix.
FAQ 3: How do I cite a specific scene from a movie?
While APA doesn’t mandate specifying scenes, you can include a timestamp in the in-text citation to indicate the location of the scene you’re referencing. For example: (Nolan, 2010, 01:15:20).
FAQ 4: What if the director is unknown?
If the director is unknown, you can use the title of the movie in place of the director’s name in both the reference list and the in-text citation. For the reference list, the title will come first in the citation. For example:
The Wizard of Oz. (1939). [Film]. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
In the in-text citation: (The Wizard of Oz, 1939).
FAQ 5: How do I cite a movie I watched on DVD?
The format is the same as for a regular film. The medium is still indicated as “[Film]”. For example:
Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). Jurassic Park. [Film]. Universal Pictures.
FAQ 6: What if the movie is a documentary?
The format remains the same. The medium should still be specified in brackets. For example:
Moore, M. (Director). (2004). Fahrenheit 9/11. [Film]. Dog Eat Dog Films.
FAQ 7: How do I cite a television series episode?
Citing a television episode is different. Here’s the format:
Writer, A. A. (Writer), & Director, B. B. (Director). (Year). Title of episode (Season #, Episode #) [Television series episode]. In C. C. Creator (Executive Producer), Title of television series. Production Company.
Example:
Gans, B. (Writer), & Van Patten, T. (Director). (2000). College (Season 1, Episode 5) [Television series episode]. In D. Chase (Executive Producer), The Sopranos. HBO.
In-text citation: (Gans & Van Patten, 2000).
FAQ 8: What if the movie is a foreign film with subtitles?
Cite the film as usual, using the original title if you watched it in the original language. If you watched a dubbed or subtitled version, you can mention this in your writing, but it doesn’t necessarily change the citation format.
FAQ 9: How do I cite a movie trailer?
While not a common academic source, if you need to cite a trailer, adapt the basic movie citation format and specify “[Trailer]” as the medium. If possible, include the URL to the trailer.
Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of movie [Trailer]. Production Company. URL
FAQ 10: How do I cite a deleted scene or special feature from a DVD?
If you are citing a specific deleted scene or special feature, treat it as a separate work within the larger film. You would cite the director of the deleted scene (if known), the year it was created (if different from the film), the title of the deleted scene, and then indicate it is a [Deleted scene] or [Special feature].
FAQ 11: What capitalization rules apply to movie titles in APA style?
In APA style, capitalize only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon or em dash, and proper nouns. For example: Gone With the Wind, Star Wars: A New Hope.
FAQ 12: Can I use DOI numbers for movies like I would for journal articles?
No, DOI numbers are primarily associated with academic journals and other scholarly publications. Movies typically do not have DOI numbers. The production company and platform (if applicable) are sufficient for identification.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of citing movies in APA style enhances the credibility of your work and demonstrates your commitment to academic rigor. By understanding the fundamental format and considering the nuances addressed in these FAQs, you can confidently cite films accurately and ethically. Always double-check your citations against the latest APA Style guidelines to ensure compliance and maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. Remember, clear and accurate citations are a cornerstone of effective scholarly communication.