Citing and referencing: Film/Videorecording

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• An entry for a film usually begins with the title, italicized, and includes the director, the distributor, the year of release, and the medium consulted. You may include other data that seem pertinent—such as the names of the screenwriter, performers, and producer—between the title and the distributor.
  
• If you are citing the contribution of a particular individual, begin with that person's name.

For in text citations, avoid using parentheses and instead name the title and/or director in the text.

Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Mod. Lang. Assn., 2009, Print.

Film

Title of Film. Director's Name. Lead Performers' Names (if applicable). Film Studio or Distributor, Release Year. Medium of Publication.

Example

Shattered Glass. Dir. And Writ. Billy Ray. Perf. Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, and Chloe Sevigny. Lions Gate Films, 2003. Film. 

In text citation

Director Billy Ray cast Peter Sarsgaard as the restrained and ultimately heroic Charles Lane in Shattered Glass.

Film (DVD or Video)

Examples

Vertigo. Dir. and Prod. Alfred Hitchcock. Perf. James Stewart. 1958. Universal Home Entertainment, 2003. DVD.

The Usual Suspects. Dir. Bryan Singer. Perf. Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin. 1995. Polygram, 2008. DVD.

Cultural Baggage. Educational Media Australia, 1995. Videocassette.

Muriel's Wedding. Dir. P.J. Hogan. 1994. Roadshow Entertainment, 2000. DVD.

In text citation

Muriel's Wedding was director P.J. Hogan's first major motion picture.

Film streamed from online source

Movie Title. Director's name. Lead Performers' Names (if applicable). Film Studio or Distributor, Release Year. Online Service. Medium of Publication. Access Date.

Example

Divergent. Dir. Neil Burger. Perf. Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet. Red Wagon Entertainment, 2014. Netflix. Web. 30 August 2014.

Film where contribution of a particular individual is significant

Lastname, Firstname. Title of Film. Director's Name. Performers' Names (if applicable). Film Studio or Distributor, Release Year. Medium of Publication.

Example

Walsh, Fran, and Boyens, Philippa, adapt. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Dir. Peter Jackson. Perf. Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, and Richard Armitage.New Line Cinema, 2012, Film. 

In text citation

The screenplay of the movie (Walsh and Boyens) ...
or
Walsh and Boyens have added more humour ...