Accurately citing movies in APA style is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and giving credit to the filmmakers and creative minds involved. The specific format varies slightly depending on whether you are citing a theatrical film, a streaming service offering, or a DVD/Blu-ray release, but the core elements remain consistent: director, year, title, and source. This article provides a comprehensive guide to effectively sourcing movies in APA style, ensuring your research is both credible and meticulously documented.
Understanding the APA Style Citation Format for Films
At its heart, an APA citation for a movie follows a specific, structured format designed to be consistent and informative. While it may seem daunting at first, breaking down the elements makes the process manageable. The core components and their order are:
- Director(s), A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of movie [Film]. Production Company.
This basic template forms the foundation for almost all film citations. Let’s break down each element:
- Director(s), A. A.: Start with the director’s last name, followed by a comma, and then their initials separated by periods. Use the descriptor “(Director)” after their name to clarify their role. If multiple directors are listed, separate them with commas and use the word “and” before the last director.
- (Year): This is the year the movie was originally released in theaters, not the year you watched it on a streaming service or rented the DVD.
- Title of movie: The title of the movie should be italicized. Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle, and any proper nouns.
- [Film]: This descriptor, enclosed in square brackets, indicates the medium is a film. It is crucial for distinguishing between films and other types of media.
- Production Company: List the name of the primary production company responsible for the film. If multiple companies are listed, choose the one most prominently displayed in the credits.
For example, a citation for the film The Shawshank Redemption (directed by Frank Darabont and released in 1994) would look like this:
Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption [Film]. Castle Rock Entertainment.
This basic structure remains consistent regardless of where you accessed the film, although specific additions may be necessary for streaming services or DVD/Blu-ray releases, as we will explore in the following sections.
Adapting the Citation for Different Movie Sources
The standard citation requires slight adjustments depending on where you watched the movie. Let’s look at the modifications needed for streaming services and DVD/Blu-ray releases:
Citing Movies from Streaming Services
When citing a movie viewed on a streaming service (like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Hulu), you need to add information about the specific streaming platform. The modified format looks like this:
- Director(s), A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of movie [Film]. Production Company. Streaming Service.
For example, if you watched The Social Network (directed by David Fincher and released in 2010) on Netflix, the citation would be:
Fincher, D. (Director). (2010). The Social Network [Film]. Columbia Pictures. Netflix.
The key addition here is the name of the streaming service at the end of the citation. This helps readers locate the exact version you viewed.
Citing Movies from DVD or Blu-ray
When citing a DVD or Blu-ray version of a movie, you generally use the same format as the theatrical release. However, if the DVD or Blu-ray includes supplementary material like commentaries or extended scenes that you are citing specifically, you need to add details about the specific edition and the relevant contributors (e.g., commentator, director). The best practice is to check the actual DVD packaging.
For example, if you’re referring to the director’s commentary on a DVD of Jurassic Park, the citation would need to include who provided commentary.
Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). Jurassic Park [Film; Director’s commentary]. Amblin Entertainment.
In this case, you’ve included “[Film; Director’s commentary]” to specify you’re referencing that specific portion. Always provide as much detail as possible to ensure clarity and accurate attribution.
Practical Tips and Common Pitfalls
Even with a clear understanding of the rules, citing movies in APA style can present challenges. Here are some practical tips and common pitfalls to avoid:
- Verify Information: Double-check the director’s name, year of release, title, and production company. Reputable sources like IMDb (Internet Movie Database) can be helpful, but always verify the information with the film itself or official sources.
- Consistency is Key: Maintain a consistent formatting style throughout your paper. Use the same font, spacing, and punctuation for all citations.
- Abbreviations: Avoid unnecessary abbreviations. Spell out names of production companies and streaming services completely.
- Missing Information: If you cannot find a specific piece of information (e.g., the director), include what you can find and omit the missing element.
- In-Text Citations: Remember to include in-text citations whenever you reference the movie in your writing. The format for in-text citations is generally (Director’s last name, Year). For example: (Darabont, 1994).
By following these guidelines and avoiding common pitfalls, you can confidently and accurately cite movies in APA style, ensuring the credibility and professionalism of your research.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This section addresses common questions and provides additional clarification to ensure you are fully equipped to source movies in APA style correctly.
FAQ 1: What if a movie has multiple directors? How do I cite them?
If a movie has more than one director, list all of them in the order they appear in the film’s credits. Separate their names with commas and use the word “and” before the last director’s name. For example:
Wright, J., Lord, P., & Miller, C. (Directors). (2014). The Lego Movie [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures.
FAQ 2: What if the director is unknown?
While rare, sometimes the director is not readily available. In such cases, omit the director information entirely and begin the citation with the year, followed by the title of the movie. For example:
(1939). The Wizard of Oz [Film]. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
FAQ 3: How do I cite a specific scene from a movie?
APA style doesn’t typically provide a direct method for citing a specific scene. Generally, cite the entire film. If the scene is particularly crucial and you feel it needs specific mention, you can describe the scene in detail in your writing and cite the entire film generally. You can mention the approximate timestamp in your writing if necessary, though it won’t be part of the citation itself.
FAQ 4: Do I need to include the movie’s running time in the citation?
No, you do not need to include the movie’s running time in the APA style citation. The core elements – director, year, title, and production company (plus streaming service if applicable) – are sufficient.
FAQ 5: What if I watched a movie on a platform other than Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Hulu?
The principle remains the same. Include the name of the specific streaming service you used. For example, if you watched the movie on Disney+, the citation would include “Disney+” at the end.
FAQ 6: Is it okay to use IMDb as a source for information about the movie?
While IMDb can be a helpful starting point, it’s crucial to verify the information with official sources, such as the movie’s credits or the production company’s website. IMDb is user-generated and might contain inaccuracies.
FAQ 7: How do I cite a documentary film?
The citation format for a documentary film is the same as for a fictional film: Director(s), A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of documentary [Film]. Production Company. Streaming Service (if applicable).
FAQ 8: What if the movie is a foreign film? Do I need to translate the title?
Cite the movie using the original title. You can provide an English translation in parentheses after the title in your writing if you think it will help your readers understand. The citation itself should use the original language title.
FAQ 9: How do I cite a movie that is part of a series or franchise?
Cite the individual movie’s title, not the series name. The series name can be mentioned in your text if relevant, but the citation focuses on the specific film being referenced.
FAQ 10: What if I’m citing a short film?
The format remains the same: Director(s), A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of short film [Film]. Production Company. Streaming Service (if applicable). The length of the film doesn’t change the citation format.
FAQ 11: How do I handle in-text citations when a movie has multiple directors?
For in-text citations with multiple directors, include the last name of the first director followed by “et al.” (meaning “and others”). For example: (Wright et al., 2014).
FAQ 12: What if I accessed the movie through a university database or library resource?
In this case, cite the movie as you would for a streaming service, but include the name of the database or library resource instead of a commercial streaming platform. If a stable URL is provided by the database, you can also include it at the end of the citation.