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Chicago Style Guide - 17th Edition

General Format for Citing Recorded Media

General Model for Citing Film, Television, and Other Recorded Media

Citations of video, film, and sound recordings vary according to the nature of the material being referenced and depending on what element is most important to your paper. Any element relevant to identifying a resource should be included.

Depending on the resource type, you may cite both the release date for the resource you watched, as well as the original date of creation. For online media, include a URL at the end of the citation. When constructing citations for various media types, do so in as consistent a manner as possible throughout your research paper.

Information to include when citing media resources:

  • Creator (if given)
  • Title of multimedia work
  • Place of publication (if given)
  • Publisher (if available)
  • Date (could be full date including month, day and year, or may be year only). Depending on the context of your research, you may need to include the original release date, the publishing date of the media you watched, or both of these date types. If no date can be found, use n.d. for "no date".
  • Format (refer to the format type you watched or listened to, not necessarily the original format)
  • Running time of work
  • Collection (if applicable, information includes the institution the collection is housed in, and the title of the collection itself)
  • URL 
  • Any other relevant information (such as track number on an album; acquisition number on an LP or CD)

Streaming Media

FORMAT

Creator's LastName, FirstName, role. Title of Work. DatePublished; PlacePublished: Publisher. Collection if applicable, Format, running time. URL.

EXAMPLE​ 

Arnaquq-Baril, Alethea, dir. Angry Inuk. 2016; Iqaluit: National Film Board of Canada. National Film Board of Canada Indigenous Cinema Collection. Streaming media, 1:22. https://www.nfb.ca/film/angry_inuk/.

FOOTNOTE FORM

​9. Angry Inuk, directed by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (2016; Iqaluit: National Film Board of Canada), National Film Board of Canada Indigenous Cinema Collection, streaming media, 1:22, https://www.nfb.ca/film/angry_inuk/.

DVD

FORMAT

Director's LastName, FirstName, dir. Title of Work. Original release date; PlacePublished: Publisher, Date Media you watched was Published. Format.

EXAMPLE

Polley, Sarah, dir. Stories We Tell. 2012; Toronto, ON: National Film Board of Canada, 2013. DVD.

FOOTNOTE FORM

42. Stories We Tell, directed by Sarah Polley (2012; Toronto, ON: National Film Board of Canada, 2013), DVD.

EXAMPLE

Hancock, John Lee, dir. The Blind Side. 2009; Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2010. DVD.

FOOTNOTE FORM

43. The Blind Side, directed by John Lee Hancock (2009; Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2010), DVD.

Sound Recording

FORMAT - Album or Collection

LastName, FirstName of composer, performer, or group. Year of original recording if applicable. Title of Recording. Contributing personnel if applicable. Recording Company and Publisher Acquisition number of LP or CD if available. Year of Release if applicable. Format.

EXAMPLE

Haim. Days Are Gone. Columbia Records 88883 77097 2. 2013. Compact disc.

FOOTNOTE FORM

38. Haim, Days Are Gone, Columbia Records 88883 77097 2, 2013, compact disc.

EXAMPLE

Pink Floyd. Atom Heart Mother. 1970  Capital CDP7 46381 2. 1990. Compact disc.

FOOTNOTE FORM

42. Pink Floyd, Atom Heart Mother, 1970, Capital CDP7 46381 2, 1990, compact disc.

FORMAT - Track on an Album or Collection

LastName, FirstName of composer, performer, or group. Year of original recording if applicable. "Title of Track". Contributing personnel if applicable. Track number on AlbumTitle if applicable. Recording Company and Publisher Acquisition number of LP or CD if available. Year of Release if applicable. Format.

EXAMPLE

Harrison, George, vocalist. 1970. "If Not for You."  By Bob Dylan. Track 2 on album 1, side 2 on All Things Must Pass. Capital Records CDP 7 46688 2, 2001. Vinyl LP. 

FOOTNOTE FORM

7. George Harrison, vocalist, 1970, "If Not for You,"  by Bob Dylan, track 2 on album 1, side 2 on All Things Must Pass, Capital Records CDP 7 46688 2, 2001, vinyl LP.

EXAMPLE

Rihanna [Robin Fentyl], vocalist. 2007. "Umbrella." Featuring Jay-Z. Track 1 on Rhianna, Good Girl Gone Bad. Island Def Jam. MP3 audio. 

FOOTNOTE FORM

8. Rihanna [Robin Fentyl], vocalist, 2007, "Umbrella," featuring Jay-Z, track 1 on Rhianna, Good Girl Gone Bad, Island Def Jam, MP3 audio.

MORE DETAILS

  • There is not a one-size-fits-all formula for citing sound recordings in Chicago Style. Be mindful to include and emphasize the information most important to the context of your research paper in the citation. Ask your instructor if they have a specific format they wish you to follow.
  • Similar to citing a chapter in a book, when you cite a track on an album, put "quotations" around the track name, and italicize the album title.

Episode in a Series

FORMAT

LastName, FirstName, dir. Title of Work. Season number, episode number, "Episode Title." Aired Month day, year, on Network Name. URL if applicable.

EXAMPLE

Jeyapalan, Renuka, dir. Kim's Convenience. Season 2, episode 9, "New TV." Aired November 21, 2017, on CBC. 

FOOTNOTE FORM

24. Kim's Convenience, season 2, episode 9, "New TV," directed by Renuka Jeyapalan, aired November 21, 2017, on CBC.

EXAMPLE

Feeley, Erin, dir. Orange is the New Black. Season 6, episode 3, "Look Out for Number One." Aired July 27, 2018, on Netflix. https://www.netflix.com/watch/80217078.

FOOTNOTE FORM

24. Orange is the New Black, season 6, episode 3, "Look Out for Number One," directed by Erin Feeley, aired July 27, 2018, on Netflix, https://www.netflix.com/watch/80217078.