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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Videos & DVDs

This guide will help you learn how to cite correctly in MLA style.

Tips

Who to Credit - DVD or Film

Many people can be involved in the production of a video and not all need to be listed in the citation. Typically the director, producer and/or writer are the names that are used. To clarify what role the person has in the production, their job title such as Director is put after their name in round brackets if the job title is known.

Who to Credit - Streaming Video from a Website

For videos from websites such as YouTube or Vimeo, credit the person who posted the content. If a real name is provided, use it. If the real name of the person who posted the content is not known, use their user name.

Formatting

Note: For your Works Cited list, all citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

Streaming Video From a Website (YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, etc.) - Known Author

Last Name, First Name of video creator or Username of Creator. "Title of Video." Title of the Hosting Website, Day Month Year of Publication, URL of video. Accessed Day Month Year video was viewed.

Works Cited List Example

Sethi, Ramit. "How to Write a Winning Resume, With Ramit Sethi." YouTube, uploaded by I Will Teach You to Be Rich, 23 June 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0fjkKCsM1w. Accessed 28 June 2016.

In-Text Citation Example

(Last Name of Video Creator)

(Sethi)

Note: Because videos do not have page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings, this information is left out of the in-text citation.

Streaming Video From a Library Database (Films on Demand)

Title of Video. Directed by [name], Publisher/Production Company, Date. Title of Library Database. 

Works Cited List Example

Secret Life of Twins. Directed by Luke Wiles, BBC, 2015. Films on Demand.

 Note: Typically films are cited without an author. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year, if available.

In-Text Citation Example

(Words From Title)

(Secret Life of Twins)

 Note: Because videos do not have page numbers this information is left out of the in-text citation.

DVD or Film

Title of Movie. Director's Name. Performers Names. Production Company, Year of Release. 

Note: If you are writing about a film or television series without focusing on an individual's contribution, begin with the title. You can include information about the director and other key participants in the position of other contributors.

Note: Exclude the list of performers if not relevant.

Works Cited List Example

The Usual Suspects. Directed by Bryan Singer. Performances by Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin, and Benicio Del Toro. Polygram, 1995. 

In-Text Citation Example

(Title of Movie)

(The Usual Suspects)

Note: The title of the film is in italics in the in-text citation because that is how it appears in the Works Cited List Example.

Note: Because DVD's do not have page numbers this information is left out of the in-text citation.

Television Series Episode

"Title of Episode." Title of TV Series. Contributors Name(s), Season, Episode,  Production Company, Year of Release. 

Note: If the episode has many contributors, include the ones most relevant to your project. i.e. if you are writing about an episode that focuses on a key character, you might mention the series creator and the actor who portrays the character.

Note: Seasons of a television series are usually numbered in sequence, as are the episodes. Both numbers should be included in the works cited list if available.

Works Cited List Example

"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry." Friends, created by Marta Kauffman, performance by Matthew Perry, season 6, episode 14, Warner Brothers, 2004. 

In-Text Citation Example

("Title of Episode")

("The One Where Chandler")

Note: The title of the episode is in quotation marks in the in-text citation because that is how it appears in the Works Cited List Example.

Note: Because DVD's do not have page numbers this information is left out of the in-text citation.