When citing a movie in APA style, the format varies depending on whether you’re citing the movie as a whole, a specific quote from the movie, or referencing a particular contributor to the movie, such as a director or actor. Below are examples for each scenario:
Citing a Movie as a Whole
To cite a movie as a whole in APA style, you focus on the title of the movie and the year it was released. Here’s the basic structure:
Format: Movie Title. (Release Year). [Motion picture]. Production Company.
Example: The Shawshank Redemption. (1994). [Motion picture]. Columbia Pictures.
Citing a Specific Quote from a Movie
If you’re citing a specific quote from a movie, you’ll need to include the quote itself, enclosed in quotation marks, followed by the title of the movie (in title case and italicized), the year of release in parentheses, and if relevant, the names of the speaker and the director or other contributors.
Format: “Quote” (Movie Title, Release Year) as stated by [Speaker’s Name, if applicable], directed by [Director’s Name] [if not already mentioned].
Example (for a quote without specifying the speaker): “Hope springs eternal” (The Shawshank Redemption, 1994).
Example (specifying the speaker and director): “Get busy living or get busy dying” (Red, The Shawshank Redemption, 1994), as directed by Frank Darabont.
Citing a Contributor to the Movie
If you’re citing a specific contributor, such as a director or an actor, include their role in parentheses after their name.
Format: Lastname, F.M. (Role). (Release Year). Movie Title. [Motion picture]. Production Company.
Example (for a director): Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption. [Motion picture]. Columbia Pictures.
Example (for an actor): Robinson, F. (Actor). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption. [Motion picture]. Columbia Pictures.
In-Text Citations
For in-text citations of movies, APA style suggests using the title of the movie (in title case and in italics) and the year of release.
Example: (The Shawshank Redemption, 1994)
If the movie title is mentioned in the sentence, only include the year in parentheses.
Example: The themes in The Shawshank Redemption (1994) highlight hope and redemption.
For contributors, if mentioned in the text, you would only include their last name and the year in parentheses.
Example: Darabont (1994) masterfully directed the film to convey a powerful message.
Remember, APA style guidelines are updated periodically, so it’s always a good idea to check the most recent edition of the APA Publication Manual or APA’s official website for the latest guidelines.
