How to Cite Movie Dialogue in APA

Including movie dialogue in your research paper can spark the reader's interest while tying your discussion to something relatable. Some quotes can bring humor to the paper, while others are more poignant or educational. As with any other resource, however, you must cite movie dialogue per APA standards.

In-Text Citation

When quoting movie dialogue within the text, the citation must directly follow the quote. Although writers are involved in the creation of a movie, usually there isn't a specific author. Instead, the in-text citation should name the producer. End the dialogue like this: (Producer's last name, Year).

Reference Page

Since there is no author, you should list the source alphabetically by the producer's last name. The entire citation should look like this:

Last name, First initial. (Producer), & Last name, First initial. (Director). (year). Movie title [Motion picture]. Country of Origin: Name of Studio.

Here is an example:

Scott, A. (Producer), & Harris, P. (Director). (2006). The Muppets: a celebration of 30 years [Motion picture]. United States: Henson Associates.

Note that the name of the movie should be italicized. Also, include the words "Producer" and "Director" in parentheses as described, as well as the words "Motion picture" in brackets.

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