APA 7th Citation Guide

General Guidelines

• Ensure your punctuation is correct:

  • Film, DVD or video title: Write the title in italics and in sentence case, e.g. The life and death of Peter Sellers
  • Production company name: Typically, write the title of the production company in regular font and in title case. However, if the production company goes by its initials, then write how you see it. e.g. Write HBO Films, not Home Box Office Films.

• Ensure your formatting is correct: ​Follow our red format structure and view our examples in black. E.g. For the elements of the reference we have italicized, you also italicize that same element in your reference.

Format

Director, D.D. (Director). (Year of release). Title of work [Description]. Production Company.

Examples​

Hopkins, S. (Director). (2004). The life and death of Peter Sellers [Film]. HBO Films; BBC Films; The De Mann Entertainment Company; Company Pictures.

Kubrick, S. (Director). (1968). 2001: A space odyssey [Film]. Stanley Kubrick Productions.  

Newell, M. (Director). (1994). Four weddings and a funeral [Film]. Polygram Filmed Entertainment; Channel Four Films; Working Title Films.   

Citing In-Text: Example of one of the references

(Kubrick, 1968) OR Kubrick (1968) 

For more detailed guidelines on in-text citations go to our Citing In-Text tab.

Format

Director, D.D. (Director). (Year of release). Title of work [Description]. Production Company. 

Examples​

Pistole, R. (Director). (2013). The Raconteurs: Live at the Ryman Auditorium [Film; live musical performance DVD]. Third Man Records. 

Citing In In-Text 

(Pistole, 2013) OR Pistole (2013) 

For more detailed guidelines on in-text citations go to our Citing In-Text tab.

Specific Guidelines

While it is not necessary to specify how you watched the film (in theaters, streaming online, etc.), the format or other descriptive may be included in square brackets when relevant or significant.  This could be useful when the format or edition is relevant to your paper (e.g. the DVD contains a special feature or commentary).   

Format

Director, D.D. (Director). (Year of release). Title of work [Description; format or edition]. Production Company.

Examples​

Jackson, P. (Director). (2001). The lord of the rings: The fellowship of the ring [Film; four-disc special extended ed. on DVD]. WingNut Films; The Saul Zaentz Company. 

Lisberger, S. (Director). (1982). Tron [Film; two-disc 20th anniversary collector's edition on DVD]. Walt Disney Productions; Lisberger-Kushner Productions; Amblin Entertainment.  

Citing In-Text: Example of one of the references

(Jackson, 2001) OR Jackson (2001)

For more detailed guidelines on in-text citations go to our Citing In-Text tab.

Specific Guidelines

When a film is in a different language than your paper, include a translation of the title in square brackets.  

Format

Director, D.D. (Director). (Year of release). Title of work [Translation of title] [Film].  Production Company.

Examples​

Alijo, P.U. (Director). (2017). Errementari [The blacksmith and the devil] [Film]. Kinoskopik s.I. 

Almodovar, P. (Director).  (2006). Volver [To go back] [Film].  Sony Pictures Classics.  

Citing In-Text: Example of one of the references

(Alijo, 2017) OR Alijo (2017)

For more detailed guidelines on in-text citations go to our Citing In-Text tab.

Specific Guidelines

• Credit the director as the author of the film.  If the director is unknown, someone in a similar role can be credited (producer, host, guest expert, etc.) to aid in retrieval. 
• If someone besides the director is listed as the author, describe their role in parentheses.  The description of role is flexible and can be modified as suits the work.

Format

Producer, P.P. (Producer). (Year of release). Title of work  [Description].  Production Company. 

Host, H.H. (Host). (Year of release). Title of work [Description].  Production Company.

Examples​

Fosha, D. (Guest Expert), & Levenson, H. (Host). (2017). Accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) supervision [Film; educational DVD]. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/pubs/videos4310958.aspx.  

Citing In-Text: Example of one of the references

(Fosha & Levenson, 2017) OR Fosha and Levenson (2017)  

For more detailed guidelines on in-text citations go to our Citing In-Text tab.

For more details and examples on how to reference films and DVDs, consult the following section in the APA 7th Publication Manual:

Section 10.12 Audiovisual Works 84-86. 

Augusta University provides free access to EndNote citation management tool students, faculty, and staff.

If you use EndNote to input your references, then choose the reference type underneath. If you export or import your citations, then check that EndNote automatically categorized them to the below reference type. Edit the reference type if it is incorrect.  

Reference Type: Film or Broadcast