Citing a movie correctly in APA (American Psychological Association) style involves providing specific information to ensure readers can easily locate the film. The basic format requires the director’s last name and initials, the year of release, the title of the movie in italics, the production company, and, if applicable, the country of origin.
Understanding the Core Elements of an APA Movie Citation
The APA style emphasizes clarity and accessibility, ensuring the reader can easily locate the referenced source. When citing a movie, the format typically mirrors that of other source types, but with specific adjustments reflecting the nature of film. It’s critical to distinguish between citing the movie as a whole and citing a specific scene or quote from the movie, which would require a different approach (discussed later).
At its most fundamental, an APA movie citation follows this structure:
Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of movie. Production Company. (Country of Origin).
Let’s break down each element:
- Director, A. A. (Director): This is the primary director of the film. If a film has multiple directors, list only the primary director (the one most responsible for the creative vision). Follow the format of last name, a comma, initials, a period, followed by the parenthetical “(Director).”
- Year: This is the year the movie was released theatrically. It’s crucial to use the original release year, not the year you watched it or a later re-release.
- Title of movie: This is the full and complete title of the movie, italicized. Pay close attention to capitalization and punctuation, as these should match the official title exactly.
- Production Company: This is the name of the production company responsible for creating the film. This information is typically found in the movie’s credits or on online databases like IMDb (Internet Movie Database).
- (Country of Origin): This is the country where the film was primarily produced. If the film is a co-production involving multiple countries, list the first country listed in the production credits. This element is optional but adds valuable context, especially for internationally produced films.
Here’s an example:
Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). Jurassic Park. Amblin Entertainment. (United States).
Adapting to Different Movie Formats and Access Points
While the basic format remains consistent, you might need to adapt the citation based on how you accessed the film. If you watched it on a streaming service, you don’t include that information in the basic citation. However, if you’re citing a specific scene, you might need to provide timestamps (covered in the FAQs). Similarly, if you are citing supplemental material found on a DVD or Blu-ray, you would adapt the citation to reflect that specific material and its creator.
Remember that the goal of the APA citation is to allow the reader to easily find the specific work you are referencing. Therefore, the more information you provide about the source, the better. While some elements are optional, including them can add clarity and professionalism to your work.
Mastering In-Text Citations for Movies
In addition to the full reference list entry, you’ll need to include in-text citations within your paper to acknowledge your source. These citations are typically brief and provide a direct link to the full reference list entry.
For movies, the in-text citation includes the director’s last name and the year of release. For example:
(Spielberg, 1993)
If you’re directly quoting dialogue or referencing a specific scene, you might need to include a timestamp (though APA guidelines are less specific about timestamps for movies than for audio or video podcasts). It’s best to be as precise as possible, especially if the quote or scene is crucial to your argument.
FAQs: Answering Your Burning Questions
Here are 12 frequently asked questions that delve deeper into the nuances of citing movies in APA style:
H3: 1. What if a movie has multiple directors?
In APA style, you generally list only the primary director of the film. This is typically the director most responsible for the creative vision. You can usually determine the primary director by checking the movie’s credits or resources like IMDb.
H3: 2. How do I cite a specific scene or quote from a movie?
While APA doesn’t have extremely prescriptive guidelines for citing specific scenes in movies, the best practice is to include a timestamp within your in-text citation. For example: (Spielberg, 1993, 00:22:15-00:22:30) to indicate a scene that runs from 22 minutes, 15 seconds to 22 minutes, 30 seconds. In the reference list, the general movie citation remains the same.
H3: 3. What if the director is unknown?
In the rare case where the director is genuinely unknown, use the title of the movie in the author position. Abbreviate the title if it’s long. In the reference list, treat the movie title as you would the author’s name.
H3: 4. How do I cite a movie I watched on a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu?
The basic citation format remains the same. You do not need to include the streaming service in your citation. The core elements – director, year, title, and production company – are still the primary information required.
H3: 5. What if the movie is a foreign film with a translated title?
Use the original title of the movie in italics. You can include the translated title in brackets after the original title if you believe it will aid understanding for your reader. For example: Amélie [Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain].
H3: 6. How do I cite supplemental material found on a DVD or Blu-ray (e.g., director’s commentary, deleted scenes)?
Cite the specific supplemental material you’re referencing. For example, if you’re citing director’s commentary, the citation would start with the director’s name and “(Commentator)”. The title would be the title of the commentary, not the movie itself. For example:
Spielberg, S. (Commentator). (1993). Director’s Commentary on Jurassic Park. Amblin Entertainment.
H3: 7. Do I need to include the country of origin in my citation?
Including the country of origin is optional but recommended, especially for internationally produced films. It adds valuable context and helps readers understand the film’s cultural background.
H3: 8. What if a movie has multiple production companies?
List all the production companies involved, separated by semicolons.
H3: 9. How do I cite a remake of a movie?
Cite the specific version you are referencing. If you are comparing the original and the remake, you would need to cite both films separately.
H3: 10. Can I use IMDb as a source for information like the director or production company?
While IMDb can be a helpful starting point, it’s best to verify the information with other reliable sources, such as the movie’s official website or a reputable film database. IMDb is user-generated content, so it’s not always perfectly accurate.
H3: 11. What if the movie is a documentary?
The citation format remains the same. Treat the director as the primary author. The title of the documentary should be in italics.
H3: 12. How do I handle in-text citations when I’m discussing the movie’s plot generally?
When you are referring to the movie’s plot in general, the in-text citation should still include the director’s name and the year of release. However, you generally don’t need to include specific page numbers or timestamps in this case.
By following these guidelines and addressing these FAQs, you can confidently and accurately cite movies in APA style, enhancing the credibility and clarity of your research. Remember to always consult the latest edition of the APA Publication Manual for the most up-to-date information.