How do I cite a movie in APA format, including the director?
To cite a movie in APA format, include the director(s) in the author position. The basic format is: Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). *Title of the motion picture* [Motion picture]. Production Company. Include a URL if accessible online.
When citing a movie in APA format, the focus is on who created the film, and in this case, the director is given primary credit. This is because the director is typically considered the main creative force behind a film. The year refers to the film’s release year. The title is italicized, and you specify that it is a “Motion picture” in square brackets. Finally, include the production company responsible for the movie. If you accessed the movie via a streaming service or website, you can optionally include the URL at the end of the citation. Here’s an example using the movie *The Shawshank Redemption*, directed by Frank Darabont: Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). *The Shawshank Redemption* [Motion picture]. Castle Rock Entertainment. If you watched it on Netflix, you could add: Retrieved from [Netflix URL]. Remember to adjust the Director’s initials, year, title, and production company to match the specific movie you’re citing.
What is the correct APA format for citing a movie released on DVD?
The correct APA format for citing a movie released on DVD follows a specific structure including the director, year of release, title, and media information. The general format is: Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). *Title of the motion picture* (Medium). Production Company.
When citing a movie on DVD, it’s crucial to understand the components required by APA style. Start with the director’s name, followed by “(Director)” in parentheses. Note that if multiple directors exist, list them all, separated by commas, with “(Directors)” after the last director’s name. The year refers to the original release year of the movie, *not* the year the DVD was released, unless the DVD contains a significantly different version. The title should be italicized. In the “Medium” section, specify “DVD” or “Blu-ray” in parentheses. Finally, provide the production company responsible for the movie’s distribution.
For example, if Steven Spielberg directed *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*, originally released in 1982 and watched on DVD, and distributed by Universal Pictures, the citation would appear as: Spielberg, S. (Director). (1982). *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* (DVD). Universal Pictures. Remember to alphabetize the entry in your reference list according to the director’s last name. If a movie has both a director and a writer who contributed significantly, it is acceptable to cite the writer instead, using (Writer) in place of (Director).
When citing a movie in APA, what year do I use - the original release or the version I watched?
When citing a movie in APA style, you should use the **year of the original release** of the film, not the year you watched it or a later release date (like a director’s cut or remastered version). The goal is to identify the original creation of the work.
While you might have watched a movie in 2023, if it was originally released in 1982, your citation should reflect the 1982 release date. This is because you’re referencing the creative work as it was initially presented. Using the original release year ensures accuracy and helps readers locate the specific version of the film if needed.
However, there is a nuance. If you are citing a specific version, such as a director’s cut or a special edition that significantly alters the original content, you would include the year of that specific version in addition to clarifying the version in your reference. For example, you might write “(Director’s cut, 2007)” after the film title in your citation. This clarifies which version of the film you are referencing. Otherwise, stick with the original release date to maintain consistency and accuracy.
How do I cite a specific scene from a movie using APA style?
APA style doesn’t have a formal method for citing specific scenes within a film. However, you can adapt the standard movie citation and include a timestamp or scene description in the text to pinpoint the exact moment you’re referencing. Be clear and precise so that the reader can locate the specific scene you’re referencing.
When citing a movie in general, your reference list entry should include: Director(s). (Year). *Title of the movie* (if applicable, indicate contributor’s role). Production Company. For example: Scorsese, M. (2006). *The Departed*. Warner Bros. To then refer to a specific scene within your paper, integrate the timestamp or a concise description into your sentence. For instance, you might write, “The tension is palpable as Costello confronts Sullivan about the rat (Scorsese, 2006, 01:12:30-01:13:15),” clearly marking the start and end times of the scene. Alternatively, you could describe the scene: “In the scene where Jordan Belfort introduces his team to the ‘perks’ of working at Stratton Oakmont (Scorsese, 2013),…”
Remember, the goal is clarity. Choose whichever method—timestamp or description—best allows your reader to quickly and easily find the specific moment you’re analyzing. If the scene has a widely recognized title or is particularly iconic, you can incorporate that title into your description. While APA doesn’t mandate a specific format for this type of citation, consistency is key. Choose your method and apply it uniformly throughout your work for all scene-specific references.
What elements are required in an APA movie citation if the director isn’t known?
When citing a movie in APA style and the director is unknown or unavailable, the movie’s title takes the place of the director’s name in the citation. The required elements then become: Title of the Movie (Year). *Production Company*.
APA style prioritizes author attribution, but in the absence of a known director, the movie title serves as the primary identifier. This allows readers to easily locate the source within the references list and find the corresponding movie. The year of release is crucial for differentiating between movies with similar titles, and the production company indicates the distributor responsible for the film’s production and release.
Consider the following example. If the director of *Citizen Kane* is unknown, the citation would appear as: Citizen Kane (1941). *RKO Radio Pictures*. In the in-text citation, you would use the title and year: (Citizen Kane, 1941). Remember to italicize the movie title. If the film has a version-specific release, like a director’s cut, include that information in the citation following the title and year, before the production company.
If a movie has multiple directors, how do I cite it in APA?
When citing a movie with multiple directors in APA style, list all directors in the author position, separated by commas, and with an ampersand (&) before the final director’s name. Follow this with “(Directors)” in parentheses. The general format is: Last Name, First Initial., Last Name, First Initial., & Last Name, First Initial. (Directors). (Year). *Title of movie* [Film]. Production Company.
APA treats directors as the “authors” of a film. Therefore, their names go in the author position of the citation. Including all directors, up to and including twenty, provides proper credit. If a film has more than twenty directors, list the first nineteen, then insert an ellipsis (…), and then add the final director. This method ensures a comprehensive and accurate representation of the creative leadership behind the movie.
Here’s an example: Scott, R., Scott, T., & Streitenfeld, M. (Directors). (2007). *The assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford* [Film]. Warner Bros. Note the inclusion of “[Film]” after the title to clearly indicate the medium. Make sure the production company is accurately listed as this helps locate the source material. For in-text citations, use the first director’s last name followed by “et al.” and the year (e.g., Scott et al., 2007).
And that’s a wrap! Hopefully, this guide has helped you navigate the world of citing movies in APA style. Remember, consistency is key in academic writing. Thanks for reading, and feel free to come back anytime you have more citation questions!