In APA style, movie titles are italicized, just like book titles, journal titles, and other standalone works. This simple rule ensures consistency and clarity in academic writing, allowing readers to quickly identify and distinguish movie titles from other elements in your text.
The Foundation: Italicization is Key
The American Psychological Association (APA) provides specific guidelines for formatting references and citations in academic papers. One of the core rules is to italicize the titles of self-contained creative works, and this definitively includes movies. This rule applies regardless of whether you’re mentioning the movie title within the body of your paper, in a reference list entry, or in a footnote. Consistent application of this formatting convention enhances the overall professionalism and readability of your work. Failing to properly italicize movie titles can distract the reader and detract from the credibility of your writing.
Mastering the In-Text Citation
Referencing a movie within the body of your paper requires both italicization and proper citation. The standard format involves the movie title (italicized) followed by the director’s last name and the year of release, enclosed in parentheses. For example:
- According to Casablanca (Curtiz, 1942), “Here’s looking at you, kid.”
When the director is already mentioned in the sentence, you only need to include the year of release in parentheses after the movie title. For example:
- In The Godfather (1972), Francis Ford Coppola masterfully depicts…
If you are discussing multiple movies by the same director within the same paper, you must clarify which movie you are referencing by including a unique identifier for each movie in the reference list, and using that same identifier in the in-text citation. This could be a letter designation, such as (Coppola, The Godfather a, 1972) and (Coppola, Apocalypse Now b, 1979).
Crafting the Perfect Reference List Entry
The reference list entry provides more detailed information about the movie. The fundamental structure is:
Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). Movie title [Film]. Production Company.
Let’s break down each element:
- Director, A. A.: This lists the director’s last name, followed by a comma, then the initials of their first and middle names. Use “(Director)” to denote their role. If there are multiple directors, list them all, separating them with commas.
- (Year): This is the year the movie was released. Enclose it in parentheses.
- Movie title: This is the complete and unabridged title of the movie, italicized.
- [Film]: This bracketed term clarifies the type of work being referenced. It’s essential, especially if you are referencing various types of media.
- Production Company: This is the name of the movie’s production company or distributor.
Here’s an example:
Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). Jurassic Park [Film]. Universal Pictures.
Handling Streaming Services
If you viewed the movie on a streaming service, you should modify the reference entry to reflect this. Include the streaming service at the end of the entry:
Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). Jurassic Park [Film]. Universal Pictures. Netflix.
Addressing Common Formatting Challenges
Formatting movie titles in APA style can present certain challenges. Consider these scenarios:
Foreign Language Titles
If citing a movie with a title in a language other than English, include the original title followed by an English translation in brackets:
Fellini, F. (Director). (1960). La Dolce Vita [The Sweet Life] [Film]. Riama Film.
TV Series vs. Movie
A crucial distinction exists between a movie and a television series. While movie titles are italicized, television series titles are also italicized. However, individual episodes of a TV series are enclosed in quotation marks. When referencing a specific episode, the format would be:
Smith, J. (Writer), & Jones, R. (Director). (2010). The fire [Television series episode]. In D. Knopfler (Executive producer), The Office. NBC.
Articles within Movie Titles
The APA style guide generally recommends retaining articles (a, an, the) at the beginning of movie titles, unless grammatical conventions dictate otherwise. These articles are considered when alphabetizing the title in the reference list.
Citing Multiple Versions of a Movie
If you’re referencing different versions of the same movie (e.g., a director’s cut versus a theatrical release), clarify the specific version in your reference entry by including details within brackets. For example:
Scott, R. (Director). (1982). Blade Runner: The Final Cut [Film]. Warner Bros.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is it necessary to include the country of origin in the reference list entry?
No, including the country of origin is not typically required in an APA-style reference entry for a movie. Focus on the director, year, title, [Film], and production company (and streaming service if applicable).
2. What if the movie has multiple directors? How should I list them?
List all directors in the order they appear on the movie’s credits, separating them with commas. Follow the same format as with a single director: Last Name, Initials. (Director).
3. What if the movie has no credited director?
In the rare instance where a movie has no credited director, you can use the term “Anon.” (short for anonymous) in place of the director’s name. However, this is highly uncommon for feature films. Thoroughly check the credits before resorting to this.
4. Should I italicize the “[Film]” designation in the reference list?
No, the “[Film]” designation should not be italicized. Only the movie title is italicized.
5. How do I cite a movie review in APA style?
Citing a movie review follows a slightly different format:
Reviewer, A. A. (Year, Month Date). Title of review. Publication Title, Volume(Issue), Page numbers.
Italicize the publication title, but not the title of the review itself.
6. What if I watched the movie on DVD or Blu-ray? Does this change the reference entry?
The fundamental structure remains the same. You can optionally include information about the medium (DVD, Blu-ray) after the production company if you feel it’s relevant, but it’s not strictly required.
7. Is it okay to use an abbreviation for the production company in the reference list?
Generally, it’s best to use the full, official name of the production company as it appears in the movie’s credits. Avoid abbreviations unless they are widely recognized and used by the company itself.
8. How should I handle a movie title that includes another title within it?
If the title within the movie title is also a work that should be italicized (e.g., a book title), italicize it as well: Shakespeare in Love. Maintain the overall italicization of the movie title.
9. Does the capitalization of the movie title matter in APA style?
Yes, follow standard title capitalization rules: capitalize the first word of the title, the first word after a colon or dash, and all principal words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), prepositions (of, in, to, for), or conjunctions (and, but, or, nor) unless they are the first word of the title or subtitle.
10. Where can I find definitive examples of APA style movie citations?
The official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the ultimate authority. Online resources from reputable universities and academic institutions also provide reliable examples. Always double-check against the official manual when in doubt.
11. If a movie is based on a book, do I need to cite both the movie and the book?
Yes, if you are discussing both the movie and the book, you should cite both separately. Each is a distinct work with its own set of creators and characteristics.
12. What is the purpose of using APA style for citing movies and other sources?
APA style provides a standardized and consistent method for acknowledging the sources of information used in academic writing. This ensures clarity, credibility, and avoids plagiarism. It allows readers to easily locate and verify the sources you have used in your research.