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MLA (9th ed.) Citation Style: Audiovisual Material

Core Elements Format

The MLA 9th ed. does not provide rules for citing specific types of resources. Instead, they provide a universal set of guidelines for any type of material based on the core elements. The examples provided in this citation guide were created by Douglas College librarians and follow this format.

  • Seasons in publication dates of journals or magazines are no longer capitalized (e.g.: winter 2021 not Winter 2021)
  • For articles from databases with a DOI, write the DOI as a web address (e.g. beginning with https://doi.org/)
  • If a DOI is not available, use a permalink/stable URL
  • "When including a URL, copy it in full from your browser....(unless) your source offers a URL that it identifies as stable, permanent or persistent." Use a persistent link instead of the browser link if available. (MLA Handbook, 9th ed., pp.195-6).

Film, DVD, Video

Title of Film. Directed by Director's First Name Last Name. Performance(s) by Actor(s) Name(s). Title of Production Company, Release Date.

(It is optional to include performers)

 

To cite the film:

The Grand Budapest Hotel. Directed by Wes Anderson. Performance by Ralph Fiennes, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2014.

 

In-Text

(Grand Budapest 01:18:29-49)

 

"When a work is published without an authors name, do not list the author as Anonymous. Instead, skip the Author element and begin the entry with the work's title" (MLA Handbook, 9th ed., p. 108).

"For works in time-based media, such as audio and video recordings, cite the relevant time or time span.  Give the numbers of the hours, minutes, and seconds as displayed in your media player, separating the numbers with colons" (MLA 9th ed., p. 250).

 

To emphasize the performance of a director:

Moore, Michael, director. Bowling for Columbine. Alliance Atlantis, 2003.

MLA allows the writer to emphasize the focus of particular people responsible for a work.  If your discussion of such a work focuses on the contribution of a particular person - say, the performance of an actor or the ideas of the screenwriter - begin the entry with his or her name, followed by a descriptive label (MLA Handbook, 9th ed., p. 147).

Streaming Video From a Website, YouTube etc.

Author's Last Name, First Name or Username if real name not provided "Title of Video." Title of Website, Publication Date, URL. Date Accessed.

Veritasium. "How They Caught the Golden State Killer." YouTube, 30 Sep. 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT18KJouHWg. Accessed 16 March 2022. 

 

In-Text

(Veritasium 00:02:26-00:02:46)

 

"For works in time-based media, such as audio and video recordings, cite the relevant time or time span.  Give the numbers of the hours, minutes, and seconds as displayed in your media player, separating the numbers with colons" (MLA Handbook, 9th ed., p. 250).

Streaming Video (Films on Demand)

"Title of Film." Production Company/Publisher, Publication Date. Title of Database, URL. Date Accessed.

"The Truth About Getting Fit at Home." BBC Worldwide, 2021. Films on Demand, https://fod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=241076&tScript=0. Accessed 14 March 2022.

 

In-Text

("The Truth About" 00:17:44-00:18:32)

Podcast

Creator/Host's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Podcast Episode." Title of Podcast Series, Episode Number if Given, Publisher of the Website if Different From Podcast Title, Publication Date of Episode, URL. Date Accessed.

Kennedy, Paul. "Hope Within Horror: Marina Nemat." Ideas, CBC/Radio-Canada, 6 Dec. 2016, www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/hope-within-horror-marina-nemat-1.3470823. Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.

 

In-Text

(Kennedy 00:14:11-47)

Music - Sound Recordings

Artist's Last Name, First Name or Band Name. Title of Album. Publisher of Recording, Publication Date.

 

CD

Tragically Hip. Road Apples. MCA Records, 1991.

 

Song on a CD

Cohen, Leonard. "Jazz Police." I'm Your Man. Columbia, 1988.

Photograph (Web)

Last Name, First Name of photographer. "Title of Image/Photograph." Title of Website, Publication Date, URL. Date Accessed.

Dobbs, Charles. "Zabriskie Point Sunset." FineArtAmerica, 7 Apr. 2016, fineartamerica.com/featured/zabriskie-point-sunset-charles-dobbs.html. Accessed 23 March 2022.

 

In-Text

(Dobbs)