Citing Movies: A Cinematic Guide to Chicago Style
Lights, Camera, Citations!
So, you’re writing a paper that’s so good, it deserves an Oscar. But wait, you need to cite that epic movie you watched? Don't panic! We're here to turn your citation woes into a cinematic masterpiece. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of Chicago style movie citations.
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| How Do You Cite A Movie In Chicago Style |
The Basics: A Quick Reel
Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s break down the essentials. In Chicago style, there are two main ways to cite:
QuickTip: Copy useful snippets to a notes app.
- Author-Date: Perfect for those who love keeping it simple. You put a little reference in parentheses after the juicy quote or fact. For example: (Spielberg 1993).
- Notes-Bibliography: This one’s for the detail-oriented cinephiles. You put a little footnote number at the end of your sentence, and then a fancy full citation at the bottom of the page.
The Big Screen Breakdown: How to Cite a Movie
Alright, let's get down to business. Here’s the basic formula for citing a movie in Chicago style:
Director Last Name, First Name, dir. Movie Title. Original Release Year; Production Company, Year. Format.
QuickTip: Scan for summary-style sentences.
For example:
- Spielberg, Steven, dir. Jurassic Park. 1993; Universal Pictures, 1993. DVD.
Important Note:
Tip: Reread tricky sentences for clarity.
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- Italicize the movie title.
- Include the original release year, even if you watched it on a shiny new Blu-ray.
- Don’t forget the format (DVD, Blu-ray, streaming, etc.).
Special Effects: Additional Information
Want to impress your professor with your citation skills? Here are some extra tips:
- Specific Scenes: If you’re referencing a particular scene, include a timestamp. For example: (Spielberg 1993, 1:23:45).
- Multiple Directors: If there’s more than one director, list them all.
- Remakes and Reissues: Include the original release year and the year of the version you watched.
The Afterparty: FAQs
How to cite a movie you streamed? Include the streaming service as the distributor. For example: The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont (1994; Warner Bros., 2023). Streaming, HBO Max.
QuickTip: Scan quickly, then go deeper where needed.
How to cite a documentary? Treat documentaries like movies. Just include the word “documentary” after the title if you want to be extra fancy.
How to cite a foreign film? If the movie has an English title, use it. If not, provide the original title and an English translation in brackets.
How to cite a movie trailer? Cite the movie trailer as a video clip. Include the title of the trailer, the website it's on, and the date you accessed it.
How to cite a movie review? Cite the movie review as an article. Include the author, title of the review, publication, date, and page numbers if available.
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