How To Reference A Film

So you want to know how to reference a film. That’s good, but first you should be aware of the resources available to you via the internet and your local library. There are various formatting issues to consider when questioning how to reference a film. Dependant on the needs where how to reference a film are concerned, you should understand that the format you’re writing within should be considered. For example, writing conduits such as MLA, APA and the Chicago Manual of Style are just a few of the required referencing styles you may encounter.

1. MLA. The MLA Guide dictates that when referencing a film the notation reads something like:

American Beauty. Dir. Sam Mendes. Perf. Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch,
[title.] [Dir. director.] [Perf. main performers.]
and Wes Bentley. Dreamworks, 1999. DVD. Dreamworks Video, 2000.
[film studio, release year.] [type of media.] [video distributor, release year.]

2. APA. When referencing a film, the APA instructions call for a delivery such as:

Wlodkowski, S. J. (Producer), & Mendes, S. (Director). (1998). American Beauty
[producer & director, with titles.] [(year).] [title]
[Motion Picture]. United States: Dreamworks.
[[format.]] [production country: production company.]

3. The Chicago Manual of Style. If the referencing of a film requires you do so within the rules dictated by The Chicago Manual of Style, be aware that their manual includes no actual examples but instead merely instructs you include:                                                                                                  

Footnote or Endnote (N):

    1. Title of work, Format, Director (Original Release Year; City: Studio/distributor, Video Release Year.)

Corresponding Bibliographical Entry (B):

Title of work. Format. Director. Original Release Year. City: Studio/distributor, Video Release Year.