How to Cite a Movie in APA Format
This guide explains how to cite a movie in APA format and answers the broader question of how to cite a movie APA-style in research, essays, and bibliographies. It covers the essential rules of APA (7th edition), step-by-step examples for different source types, in-text citation practices, and common mistakes to avoid.
Introduction — What this format is and who uses it
APA (American Psychological Association) format is a widely used style for writing and citing sources in the social sciences, education, and many other academic fields. Instructors, researchers, and students use APA to ensure clarity, traceability, and consistency in citations.
Knowing how to cite a movie APA-style helps you credit filmmakers, support claims in film analysis, and meet academic integrity standards. If you want a quick citation, try Rephrasely's free citation generator to create correctly formatted references instantly.
General Rules — Key formatting rules
- Use APA 7th edition rules: author-date system for in-text citations and a reference list at the end.
- Reference list: double-space entries, use a hanging indent (0.5"), and alphabetize by author’s last name.
- Titles of standalone works (movies, books, films) are italicized and presented in sentence case (capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns).
- Include roles in parentheses if relevant (e.g., Director, Producer) after the name in the author position for audiovisual works.
- Only include a URL when the source is readily retrievable online (e.g., YouTube video). For subscription services like Netflix, list the streaming service as the distributor without a URL.
How to Cite by Source Type
Below are step-by-step reference examples for common source types. Each example uses code-style formatting so you can copy and paste directly.
Movie / Motion Picture
General format: Director(s) or Producer(s) are commonly used as the "author" in APA. Use the role in parentheses immediately after the name.
Director as author (simple, common):
LastName, F. M. (Director). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Production Company.
Example:
Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). Schindler's list [Film]. Universal Pictures.
If you prefer to credit the producer(s), put the producer(s) in the author position and list the director in parentheses after the title:
ProducerLast, F. M. (Producer). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Production Company. (Directed by Director F. M.)
Example with streaming platform (no URL):
Cuarón, A. (Director). (2018). Roma [Film]. Netflix.
Book
Format for books:
AuthorLast, F. M. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.
Example:
Austen, J. (1813). Pride and prejudice. T. Egerton.
Journal Article
Format for scholarly articles (with DOI if available):
AuthorLast, F. M., & AuthorLast, F. M. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx
Example:
Smith, J. A. (2020). Film narrative and cognition. Journal of Film Studies, 12(3), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.1234/jfs.2020.12
Website / Online Video (e.g., YouTube)
When citing a video found online include the uploader/author, date, title (italicized if standalone), and URL.
Author or Username. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. Website name. URL
Example (YouTube):
CriterionCollection. (2017, May 10). How To Look: Stanley Kubrick’s visual style [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxx
TV Episode (as another audiovisual example)
Format when citing a single episode:
WriterLast, F. M. (Writer), & DirectorLast, F. M. (Director). (Year). Title of episode (Season x, Episode x) [TV series episode]. In ExecutiveProducer F. M. (Executive Producer), Series Title. Production Company.
Example:
Gilligan, V. (Writer & Director). (2008). Pilot (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In V. Gilligan (Executive Producer), Breaking Bad. High Bridge Productions.
In-Text Citations — Rules and examples
In APA, in-text citations use the author-date format. For movies, the director's last name and the year are typically used.
Parenthetical citation:
(DirectorLast, Year)
Example:
(Spielberg, 1993)
Narrative citation (director as part of sentence):
Spielberg (1993) depicts...
If you cite a specific scene or timestamp from a streaming film, include a time stamp in the in-text citation:
(Cuarón, 2018, 00:42:15)
Reference List — Formatting rules and example
Assemble references alphabetically by author. Use a hanging indent for each entry and double-space the list. Use sentence case for titles and italicize standalone works like films.
Complete movie example (reference list entry):
Scorsese, M. (Director). (1976). Taxi driver [Film]. Columbia Pictures.
Example with producer credited:
Scott, R. (Producer). (1982). Blade runner [Film]. Warner Bros. (Directed by Ridley Scott)
Notes on streaming films: If the film is available through a distributor or streaming service and accessible to the reader, list the distributor (Netflix, Hulu) but omit the URL for most subscription services. Include URLs when the source is on an open website (YouTube) or if a direct link is necessary for retrieval.
Common Mistakes — 3–4 errors to avoid
- Incorrect title capitalization: Use sentence case in the reference list. Do not use title case for film titles in APA references.
- Mixing roles and positions: Be consistent — place the person in the author position and show their role in parentheses (e.g., Director, Producer).
- Unnecessary URLs for subscription services: Don’t include a URL for Netflix, Hulu, or other proprietary platforms — list the platform as the distributor instead.
- Omitting the format or mislabeling: For older formats (DVD, Blu-ray) indicate the medium if it is relevant to retrieval, e.g., [Film; DVD].
Practical tips and quick workflow
- Use a citation generator for speed: visit Rephrasely's citation generator to create APA movie citations instantly.
- When in doubt, credit the director as author and include the production company. That approach is accepted and clear.
- For multimedia projects, keep screenshot timestamps when you cite specific scenes to support precise in-text citations.
- Combine tools: draft prose with Rephrasely's AI writer, check originality with the plagiarism checker, and confirm human-like writing with the AI detector.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cite a movie I watched on Netflix in APA?
In the reference list, include the director, year, title in italics (sentence case), and the streaming service as the distributor. Example: Cuarón, A. (Director). (2018). Roma [Film]. Netflix. No URL is needed for subscription platforms.
What should I use for the author when citing a film—director or producer?
Either can be used, but the director is the most common author element for films. Place the person in the author position and include their role in parentheses. If the producer’s contribution is central, you may credit the producer instead.
Can I use Rephrasely to format movie citations automatically?
Yes. Use Rephrasely's free citation generator to build APA citations quickly. You can also draft related text with the AI writer and verify originality with the plagiarism checker.