Citing a Documentary: A Wild Ride Through Chicago Style
Okay, so you've just watched a mind-blowing documentary that's going to change your life (or at least your essay). But now comes the dreaded task of citing it in Chicago style. Don't panic! It's not as scary as it sounds. Think of it as a puzzle, but with less pieces and no annoying picture to match it to.
The Basics: Let's Break It Down
First things first, let's get the basics out of the way. You'll need a few key pieces of information:
- Director's name: The person who brought this cinematic masterpiece to life.
- Documentary title: The catchy name that made you click play.
- Studio or distributor: The bigwigs who funded the whole thing.
- Year of release: When it first graced our screens.
- Medium: DVD, streaming service, or some other weird format?
Footnotes or Bibliography? Choose Your Weapon
Chicago style offers two main ways to cite: footnotes and bibliography. It's like picking a lightsaber - one is elegant and precise, the other is a bit more casual.
- Footnotes: These little guys hang out at the bottom of the page, like tiny, helpful sidekicks. They give the full citation, so you can be as detailed as you want.
- Bibliography: This is a fancy list of all your sources at the end of your paper. It's great for giving an overview of your research.
The Nitty Gritty: How to Actually Cite It
Footnotes:
Basic format: Director's Last Name, First Name, dir. Title of Documentary (Original Release Year; City: Studio/Distribution Company, DVD Release Year [if different from original release]). Medium.
Example:
Spielberg, Steven, dir. Jaws (1975; Burbank, CA: Universal Pictures, 1995). DVD.
Bibliography:
Basic format: Director's Last Name, First Name. Title of Documentary. Studio, Year. Length. URL.
Example:
Spielberg, Steven. Jaws. Universal Pictures, 1975. 124 min.
Tips and Tricks
- Be consistent: Once you've picked footnotes or bibliography, stick with it. Don't mix and match like a crazy scientist.
- Double-check your information: Make sure you have all the correct details. Nothing's more embarrassing than a citation fail.
- Use italics: For the documentary title, always use italics. It's like adding a touch of fancy to your paper.
- Don't be afraid to ask: If you're still confused, ask your teacher or librarian. They're there to help!
How to...
- How to cite a documentary in Chicago style if I only watched it on Netflix? Include the streaming service in the medium part of your citation. For example: Spielberg, Steven, dir. Jaws (1975; Burbank, CA: Universal Pictures, 1995). Netflix.
- How to cite a specific scene in a documentary? Add the timecode or description of the scene in parentheses after the documentary title. For example: Spielberg, Steven, dir. Jaws (1975; Burbank, CA: Universal Pictures, 1995), scene at 1:23:45. DVD.
- How to cite a documentary with multiple directors? List all directors in the same format, separated by commas. For example: Spielberg, Steven, and Peter Benchley, dirs. Jaws (1975; Burbank, CA: Universal Pictures, 1995). DVD.
- How to cite a documentary that's a TV episode? Treat it like a TV episode citation, including episode title, airdate, and network.
- How to cite a documentary that's a podcast? Treat it like a podcast citation, including episode title, release date, and platform.
And there you have it! You're now a Chicago style citation pro. Go forth and conquer those documentaries!