how to write a video title in an essay

How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay or Article

When you're writing a paper or article in school or at work, you may be in a situation where you need to write a movie title in your writing. But how should you format them? Should you use italics? Or quotation marks? Or maybe both? Or neither…

The first thing to note is that the rules will be different depending on whether you’re writing an article or an essay. In this guide, we'll explain how to write one in an essay or article so that your writing looks professional and polished. Refer to the relevant section, depending on the piece you are creating. 

The main things to know are:

• If you are writing a movie title in an article, the format you use is up to you (or the company you work for). Pick a format and stick to it.
• If you are writing a movie title in an essay, then you should follow your university's or employer's referencing style guidelines. 

Read on for suggestions of different formats for articles, and more in-depth guidance around different university referencing styles.

How to Write a Movie Title in an Article 

Let's begin by exploring why you need a specific format, and examining some key principles and rules around writing a movie title in an article.

Why You Need a Specific Format 

So picture this. You’re writing an article and want to refer to a particular movie - perhaps to illustrate a point, or maybe you’re critiquing it. But you’re unsure how to format it. You don’t want to be marked down for formatting it incorrectly, so you consider leaving it out to avoid the trouble. Not on our watch!

But hold on a sec! Why should you even worry about this? Why do movie titles need to be formatted correctly anyway? Well, it’s simple really. If you don’t differentiate the title from the rest of the text, your readers might not understand you’re referring to a movie title. Imagine, for instance, that you wrote:

I finally got around to watching three billboards outside ebbing missouri.

Can we agree this sentence doesn’t make any sense? With this punctuation (i.e. none) your reader may well believe that you headed out into the night and found a couple of billboards to look at for some time. 

So do you see why it’s important to have some kind of format for writing movie titles? 

Key Principles and Rules

Now here’s the tricky bit: with articles, there’s no hard and fast rule on how to format a movie title in your writing. There are many different options and any of them would be acceptable to use in an article you’re going to publish online or physically. 

So what to do?

Our first advice is to check in with your editor/head of copywriting / your point of reference at the company you work at. They will most likely have a specific format they like to use and will be able to share that with you.

That’s if you are writing for a company.

If you’re self-publishing, say, for example, on your website or Medium.com, then you’re the boss, friend. The conventions you use are completely up to you. 

But here are a few key principles and rules:

• Common conventions are to use italics or quotations marks
• Choose one format and stick with it - not only throughout the article but in everything you write
• Keep an eye out for the correct spelling of the movie. For example, don’t forget the comma in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. 
• Title case is a great way to further demarcate the movie title from the rest of the text to make it abundantly clear that it’s a movie title.

How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay 

Now let's turn our attention towards writing a movie title in an essay.

New scenario. You’re writing an essay for your college or university course. Perhaps you’re using the movie as an example, or maybe you’re critiquing it.

But you don’t want to be marked down for getting it wrong, so you consider avoiding mentioning it altogether. But that would be a shame! Let us help you. 

Here are some general rules to get you started:

• Follow the rules of your school’s academic writing style (APA, MLA, AP, or Chicago.)
• Use title case
• Use italics or quotation marks (depending on the writing style)

Academic Referencing Styles

There are different academic referencing/writing styles in the English language, and these vary depending on the education establishment. Different styles have different rules that govern the way that you might write, punctuate and cite within your essay.

The four most common styles are Associated Press (AP), Chicago, American Psychological Association (APA), and Modern Language Association (MLA).

Of course, there are many more than just four in existence, but these are the prevalent ones. 

But why are there so many different writing styles, we hear you ask? Quite simply, this is to cater to different fields. For instance, the scientific sector places a lot of importance on using recent research, hence the APA style places the date before anything. Humanities tend to use the MLA style which places the author's name first. 

Write a Movie Title in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles

Luckily, the APA, MLA, and Chicago styles all use the same format for movie titles, so it’ll be easy to remember.

These styles all require that you place the movie title in italics. Here are some examples:

• Saving Private Ryan
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 

Do not use any quotation marks! This is not necessary and will be considered incorrect.

You’ll also notice that the title is written in the title case. This means you capitalize certain words in the title. More on that in the next section.

Write a Movie Title in AP style

The AP style is the exception here since it does not use italics to format movie titles. Instead, you’re required to use quotation marks. Let’s use the same examples as above, to make the difference clear:

• “Kill Bill”
• “Saving Private Ryan”
• “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”

Again, here, remember to use title case. 

Write a Movie Title in Title Case

Using title case means that you capitalize certain words in the title. But depending on the writing style you’re using, there are different rules on which words need capitalizing and which ones don't. Mostly, they disagree on whether or not to capitalize minor words.

Read on to find out the rules for each style, to ensure you’re writing it correctly. 

Note that if you’re writing an article, this will again depend on the rules that the company you work for is using, or if you’re writing for your own business, then you can make your own rules. Remember to pick a structure and stick to it. Consistency is key!

• Capitalize the major words.
• Lowercase the articles the, a, and an.
• Capitalize the ‘to’ in an infinitive (e.g., I Want To Eat Cake)
• Capitalize the first and last words (overrides other rules)
• Capitalize all words of four letters or more (overrides other rules)
• Lowercase the second word after a hyphenated prefix

Chicago Style

• Lowercase articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions
• Lowercase the second part of Latin species names.
• Lowercase articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions.
• Do NOT capitalize ‘to’ in infinitives (e.g., I Want to Eat Cake).

As you can see, all four styles share some common rules but are different in certain small details. 

Incorrect ways to write a movie title

Here are some examples of incorrect ways to write a movie title:

• Saving private ryan
• Eternal SUNSHINE of a Spotless Mind
• “Shawshank Redemption”
• One Flew Over the cuckoo’s Nest

Can you figure out what is wrong with each of these examples? We’ll give you a clue! It has to do with incorrect usage of title cases, block capitals and quotation marks.

A note on reference lists

We just wanted to include a little note here to remind you that when citing a movie in your essay, you should include it in your reference list, or bibliography, depending on the academic writing style you are using. 

Again, the structure of your reference list will vary depending on whether you’re writing in APA, AP, MLA or Chicago, and you can find guidance on this in an official manual for the style (or online).

Other Points of Interest

There are some other things you might be interested in knowing that are related to the topic of how to write a movie title in an essay or article, so we’re detailing those below.

How to write a quote from a movie

So you’ve successfully referenced a movie using the rules outlined above. Now you’d like to quote a line from the movie. Which conventions should you use for this? 

For this, you would use quotation marks. For instance, if you want to quote this famous line from the movie Star Wars , you would write: “May the force be with you.”

Remember that if you’re writing an essay, you might need to also include the reference in your in-text citation. Let us show you a full example of what this would look like:

History was made when General Dodonna said “May the force be with you.” in the iconic movie Star Wars (Lucas, 1977).

How to write the name of an episode of a TV show 

If you wanted to cite a TV series, you would follow the same rules as those for citing a movie - as outlined above. But what if you also wanted to include the name of the episode you’re referring to? 

Similarly to inserting a direct quote from a movie, in this case, we recommend using quotation marks. For example:

Friends , “The One Where Everybody Finds Out.”

If writing an essay, please refer to your academic writing style’s guide to learn about conventions around formatting and using title case.

Where does the word ‘movie’ come from?

Dating back as far as the early 1900s, the word ‘movie’ stems from the term ‘moving picture’.

Before they could be projected onto a screen for wider viewing, the first movies could only be seen by one person at a time, using an Electrotachyscope, Kinetoscope, or Mutoscope.

And there we have it! We hope that this article has helped you better understand the conventions around writing a movie title in your essay or article, so you can feel confident about handing in your essay or turning in your article to your line manager.

To summarize, when you’re writing an article, the rules are pretty much up to you if writing for your own business, or your manager if writing for another company. Check-in with them to find out which conventions are already in place.

If writing an essay, then you should always use the structure set out in the academic writing style’s manual. Find out first of all which style you are expected to use. 

Now that that's done, it's time to get writing! 

Learn More:

• 'Dos and Don'ts': How to Write Them With Proper Grammar
• How to Write a List Correctly: Colons, Commas, and Semicolons
• ‘Right’ vs ‘Write’ vs ‘Rite’ vs ‘Wright’: What’s the Difference?
• How to Write Height Correctly - Writing Feet and Inches
• How to Write a Postcard (Tips and Examples)
• How to Write Comedy: Tips and Examples to Make People Laugh
• How to Write an Inequality: From Number Lines or Word Problems
• How to Write a Monologue: Tips and Examples
• How to Write a Letter to the President (With Example)
• How to Write Like Ernest Hemingway
• How to Write a Follow-Up Email After an Interview
• How to Write a Formal Email
• How to Write a 2-Week Notice Email
• How to Write an Out-of-Office (OOO) Email
• How to Write a Professional ‘Thank You’ Email

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Thursday, February 23: The Clark Library is closed today.

APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Films/Videos/TV Shows

• Introduction
• Journal Articles
• Magazine/Newspaper Articles
• Books & Ebooks
• Government & Legal Documents
• Biblical Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Films/Videos/TV Shows
• How to Cite: Other
• Additional Help

Table of Contents

Film or Video

Streaming Video From a Website (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)

Streaming video from a subscription media website (netflix, amazon prime, hulu, etc.), streaming video from a library database, television series episode.

Note: All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List.

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

This Microsoft support page contains instructions about how to format a hanging indent in a paper.

Who to Credit - Film or Video

The director should be credited as the author of a film. If the director is unknown, someone in a similar role, such as a producer and/or writer, can be credited. 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 that followed by the person's user name in square brackets. If the real name of the person who posted the content is not known, just use their user name without brackets.

Note : It is not necessary to specify how you watched a film or video (e.g. motion picture, DVD, streaming online). 

In the Body of a Paper

Books, Journals, Reports, Webpages, etc.: When you refer to titles of a “stand-alone work,” as the APA calls them on their APA Style website, such as books, journals, reports, and webpages, you should italicize them. Capitalize words as you would for an article title in a reference, e.g., In the book Crying in H Mart: A memoir , author Michelle Zauner (2021) describes her biracial origin and its impact on her identity.

Article or Chapter: When you refer to the title of a part of a work, such as an article or a chapter, put quotation marks around the title and capitalize it as you would for a journal title in a reference, e.g., In the chapter “Where’s the Wine,” Zauner (2021) describes how she decided to become a musician.

The APA Sample Paper below has more information about formatting your paper.

• APA 7th ed. Sample Paper

Film or Video

When the Director, Producer and/or Writer is known:

Director/Producer/Writer's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title). (Year film was produced).  Title of film: Subtitle if any  [Film]. Production Company.

Note: If not produced in the United States, list the city name and the country.

Hallam, J. (Producer, Writer), & Lam, K. (Producer, Director). (2010).  Staff relations in healthcare: Working as a team  [Film]. Insight Media.

• When you have more than one producer, writer and/or writer to credit, separate the names with a comma and put an ampersand (&) before the last person's last name.
• Serling, R. (Executive Producer). (1959–1964). The twilight zone [TV series]. Cayuga Productions; CBS Productions.

In-Text Paraphrase:

(Producer/Director/Writer's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Hallam & Lam, 2010)

Note: This example has two people to credit, so both last names are given)

In-Text Quote:

(Producer/Director/Writer's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Hallam & Lam, 2010, 2:30)

Note: Because the timestamp serves the same purpose in a video as page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings, you include it in the in-text citation. Include only the beginning timestamp.

When the Director, Producer and/or Writer is not known:  Start the citation with the film title.

Title of film: Subtitle if any  [Film]. (Year film was produced). Production Company if Known.

Era of viruses  [Film]. (2006). Films for the Humanities and Sciences.

( Title of Film , Year)

Example: ( Era of Viruses , 2006)

Note: Italicize the title of the film and capitalize the words for the in-text citation.

( Title of Film , Year, Timestamp)

Example: ( Era of Viruses , 2006, 40:00)

When the Poster's Name is known: 

Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. of person who posted the video if known. [User name that posted the video]. (Year video was posted, Month Day).  Title of video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

Note: According to APA, for citing purposes the person who posted the video is credited as the author.

Nye, B. [TheRealBillNye]. (2009, April 8).  Bill Nye the science guy on energy  [Video]. YouTube. http://youtu.be/0ASLLiuejAo

(Creator's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Nye, 2009)

(Creator's Last Name, Year, timestamp)

Example: (Nye, 2009, 0:55)

When the Poster's Name is not known: 

User name that posted the video. (Year video was posted, Month Day).  Title of video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

All Aces Media. (2012, January 19).  Often awesome the series  [Video]. Vimeo. http://vimeo.com/35311255

(User name, Year)

Example: (All Aces Media, 2012)

Example: (All Aces Media, 2012, timestamp)

Producer's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Producer). (Year of Publication).  Title of Video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

Note:  When you have one producer (Producer) is used after the producer's name. If you have more than one producer use (Producers) instead.

Allen, T., et. al. (Producers). (2017). The story of Diana  [Video]. Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

(Producer Last name, Year)

Example: (Allen, et. al., 2017)

(Producer Last name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Allen, et. al., 2017, 6:45)

Name of Company/Organization that Provided Content or Creator's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. if known. (Year video was created, Month Day if known).  Title of video  [Video]. Database Name.

National Film Board of Canada. (2014).  Making movie history: The women  [Video]. NFB Campus. 

(Name of Company/Organization, Year)

Example: (National Film Board of Canada, 2014)

(Name of Company/Organization, Year, Timestamp)

Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer's First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known,  Television series name . Production Company.

Note: For other countries, list the city name and the country.

Young, R. (Writer, Producer, Director). (2010). Flying cheap (Season 2010, Episode 2) [TV series episode]. In  Frontline . American University School of Communication's Investigative Reporting Workshop.

(Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Young, 2010)

(Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Young, 2010, 15:38)

Television Series Episode Viewed on a Subscription Media Website 

Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer's First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known,  Television series name . Streaming Video Site. URL

Attenborough, D. (Writer). (2001). Ocean world (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In A. Fothergill (Executive producer),  Blue planet: A natural history of the oceans . Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

Example: (Attenborough, 2001)

 (Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Attenborough, 2001, 10:12)

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• Next: How to Cite: Other >>
• Last Updated: Sep 5, 2024 3:20 PM
• URL: https://libguides.up.edu/apa

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How to Format Movie Titles in Academic Writings

• by Lesley V.
• October 26, 2023

How to write a movie title in an essay?

Students, especially those in Arts, often refer to films or movie series in their papers. The formatting rules here are easy to remember. But:

They vary a bit, depending on the citation style you use.

In this post, I’ve gathered the guidelines for citing movie titles in five primary formats. Examples included, for you to compare and remember everything better.

How to Write Movie Titles in Essays

Are movie titles italicized?

It’s the most frequent question students ask when looking for this information online. Indeed, most citation formats prescribe italicizing. Other general rules include:

• Uppercase for subtitles
• Extra short movie names (like “It” ) may also go in quotations
• When using quotation marks (AP style), put punctuation inside them

Below are the details on how to format movie titles in essays and reference lists correctly.

Writing Film Titles in Different Citation Styles

For APA style (1):

• Uppercase all four-letter words and above
• Uppercase the first and the last word of a movie title, even if they are short articles (a, the) or pronouns (in, at, etc.)
• Italicize the entire name

For MLA format (2):

• Uppercase movie titles and subtitles
• Use capital letters for both parts of hyphenated words
• No uppercase for articles (a, the) and short conjunctions within the movie name
• Italicize the entire movie title

For Chicago style:

• Uppercase all main words
• Lowercase short conjunctions (below four letters) within the movie title
• Uppercase prepositions, regardless of their length

For AP citation style:

• Lowercase articles (a, the) and prepositions/conjunctions that are shorter than four letters
• Uppercase articles and prepositions/conjunctions in the beginning/end of the title
• No italics; put movie names in quotation marks

For Harvard style:

• Uppercase all primary words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.)
• Lowercase articles and prepositions/conjunctions (below four letters) within the movie title

How to Capitalize Movies in Papers

When writing a film name in a sentence, capitalize every word except for:

• Articles (a, an, the) within the movie title
• Short (below four letters) prepositions and conjunctions within the title

If a movie name begins with the above, use uppercase. Also, write long prepositions/conjunctions (moreover, although, etc.) with a capital letter. For example:

Italics vs. Quotations vs. Underlines

Most citation styles, except AP, prescribe italicization for movies and film series titles. When writing in AP, use quotation marks.

Quotes are also possible to use if you mention super short movie names like “It” or “M.” You italicize them in APA, MLA, or Chicago.

Underlines are for handwritten essays. When written by hand, you can’t italicize, huh? Use underlining instead to highlight a movie title somehow.

How to Format Punctuation in Movie Titles

If punctuation is a part of a film name, place it inside quotation marks or italicize it.

For example:

Writing Movie Titles in Reference Lists

Do You Italicize Movie Titles?

Here they go, the rules on formatting movie titles in essays. Now that you know how to write a movie title in an essay properly, the only detail remains:

Check the formatting guidelines before writing. What citation style does an educator or editor ask you to follow? If none assigned, choose one and stick to it for consistency.

References:

• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/index.html  
• https://lib.westfield.ma.edu/c.php?g=354010&p=2388441

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How to Format Movie Titles in Writing: A Comprehensive Guide

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Formatting Movie Titles in Writing: A Comprehensive Guide

– understanding the importance of formatting movie titles, – capitalization rules for movie titles, – italics or quotation marks: choosing the right format, – correctly formatting movie titles in essays and research papers, – formatting movie titles in screenplays and scripts, – handling foreign-language movie titles, – how to format movie titles in social media and blog posts, – additional tips and guidelines for formatting movie titles, frequently asked questions.

When it comes to writing about movies, it’s essential to know the proper formatting for movie titles. Correctly formatting movie titles not only ensures consistency and professionalism in your writing, but also shows respect for the creative works you’re discussing. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the essential rules and conventions for formatting movie titles.

1. Capitalization and punctuation: – In general, capitalize the principal words of the movie title. – Use italics to format movie titles, unless you’re writing by hand or on a platform without italics capability. – Don’t place a period at the end of a movie title, even when the title itself is a complete sentence.

2. Styling specific movie types: – For feature films, documentaries, and TV series, capitalize the first and last word of the title, as well as any other principal words. – Denote a series or franchise by including the series name or number in italics after the movie title, separated by a comma. – When discussing a specific episode of a TV series, put the episode title in quotation marks instead of italics. Examples: “The One Where They All Turn Thirty,” Friends; “The Winds of Winter,” Game of Thrones.

By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to confidently format movie titles in your writing, whether it be for blog posts, essays, or academic papers. Remember, accurate formatting not only enhances the readability of your work, but also displays your adeptness as a skilled writer.

Formatting movie titles correctly is crucial for several reasons. First and foremost, it enhances the overall professionalism and aesthetic appeal of any written or digital content. Properly formatted movie titles demonstrate attention to detail and respect for the art of filmmaking. Whether you’re writing a review, creating a poster, or citing sources in an academic paper, applying the appropriate formatting to movie titles stands as a testament to your meticulousness and expertise.

Secondly, consistent and accurate formatting ensures clarity and avoids confusion for readers or viewers. By adhering to the correct formatting guidelines, you enable people to easily identify and locate the movies you’re referring to. This is particularly important in an era where countless films are released each year across various platforms. Consistency also helps maintain the integrity of databases, libraries, and online streaming platforms, enabling users to easily search, sort, and access movie titles without any ambiguity or mix-ups.

Capitalization Rules for Movie Titles

When it comes to capitalizing movie titles , following the correct rules can make a significant difference in your writing. Here are some guidelines to help you get it right:

– Always capitalize the first and last word of the title, regardless of their parts of speech. For example, “The Lord of the Rings” and “Gone with the Wind.” – Capitalize all principal words in the title, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Skip articles (a, an, the), conjunctions (and, but, or), and prepositions (in, on, at) unless they are the first or last word in the title. For instance, “Singin’ in the Rain” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” – Capitalize any other words that are typically capitalized, such as proper nouns and proper adjectives. Notable examples include names of specific people, places, or brands within the title. For example, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

When it comes to emphasizing words or phrases in your writing, two common options are italics and quotation marks. These formatting choices can add clarity and emphasis to your text, making it easier for readers to understand your intended meaning. However, deciding between the two can sometimes be a daunting task. Let’s delve into the differences and help you choose the right format for your needs.

Italics are typically used to emphasize words or phrases by shifting the font style to a slanted position. Italicized text stands out as it appears slightly different from the surrounding text. You can use italics in various scenarios, such as:

1. Titles of works: Italicize book titles, newspaper or magazine titles, movie or song titles, or even the titles of TV shows to help them stand out. 2. Foreign words or phrases: Italics can be used when incorporating non-English words or phrases to indicate that they are not part of the native language. 3. Introducing new terms: If you introduce a new technical or scientific term, you can italicize it to draw attention and let readers know it’s something they should pay attention to.

On the other hand, quotation marks are punctuation marks used to enclose quoted or spoken language within a text. They are useful in various situations, such as:

1. Direct quotations: When directly quoting someone’s words, enclose them in quotation marks to indicate that the words are not your own. 2. Words used in a special way: Quotation marks can be used to highlight words used in an ironic or sarcastic sense or when discussing the definition or meaning of a specific word. 3. Titles of shorter works: Unlike italics, quotation marks are used to identify shorter works, such as chapters, articles, or short stories, within a larger body of work.

Overall, the decision to use italics or quotation marks depends on the specific context and purpose of your writing. Both formats have their own significance and can be powerful tools in effective communication. Taking a moment to consider the most suitable option for each situation will ensure that your words are formatted in a way that resonates with your readers.

When it comes to correctly formatting movie titles in your essays and research papers, it is important to follow specific guidelines to ensure clarity and consistency. Here are a few tips to help you appropriately format movie titles:

1. Capitalization: The first and last words of the title should always be capitalized, regardless of their part of speech (e.g., nouns, pronouns, verbs). Additionally, all major words in the title should be capitalized. However, minor words such as articles (e.g., a, an, the), conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or), and prepositions (e.g., of, in, on) should be lowercase unless they are the first or last word of the title.

2. Formatting Dialogue: When referencing movie titles that include dialogue, it is important to properly format the dialogue. Enclose the dialogue in double quotation marks and use single quotation marks within the dialogue for any relevant quotes or references. This helps distinguish the dialogue from the rest of the title and ensures clarity for the readers.

Remember, correct formatting of movie titles not only enhances the overall presentation of your essay or research paper but also shows your attention to detail. By following these guidelines, you will create a polished and professional document that adheres to proper formatting standards.

When it comes to formatting movie titles in screenplays and scripts, it’s important to follow certain conventions to ensure clarity and professionalism. Here are some guidelines to help you correctly format movie titles in your writing:

1. Capitalization: Movie titles should be capitalized, including all major words. This applies to both the main title and any subtitles. For example, “The Dark Knight Rises” or “Avengers: Endgame.”

2. Italicize or Underline: Movie titles should be italicized or underlined to distinguish them from the rest of the text. This helps make them stand out and easily identifiable to readers.

3. Quotation Marks: If you’re writing a screenplay or script that is referencing a specific scene or dialogue from a movie, you can use quotation marks around that particular reference. For instance, if a character exclaims, “I’ll be back,” make sure to enclose it in quotation marks to indicate that it’s a direct quote from a movie.

Foreign-language movies often come with intriguing titles that can leave us curious and sometimes confused. But fret not! Here are some tips on how to handle those foreign-language movie titles with ease.

1. Research the literal translation: Often, foreign-language movie titles are translated into English preserving the original meaning. To uncover the essence behind a title, search for its literal translation. For example, the French film “Amélie” translates to “The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain.” Knowing the original translation can give you a clearer understanding of what the movie might be about.

2. Pay attention to cultural significance: Different languages and cultures have unique ways of assigning meaning to words. Some movie titles may have cultural references that may not make sense when directly translated. Keep an open mind and try to grasp the cultural implications associated with a title. For instance, the Spanish film “Volver” means “to return” but carries a deeper connotation of going back to one’s roots or returning to a familiar place.

3. Consider international recognition: Sometimes, foreign-language films gain international fame and decide to keep the original title for marketing purposes. If a title remains unchanged, it’s essential to include the original language to distinguish it. For example, the Japanese film “Ringu” became a global sensation and is commonly referred to as “The Ring” internationally. Including the original language helps connect the film to its origins and allows audiences to identify it correctly.

4. Embrace subtitles: While some foreign-language movie titles are eventually translated into English, many films keep their original titles with English subtitles during screenings. It’s important to remember that embracing subtitles is crucial to fully appreciate the artistry and authenticity of a foreign-language film. Subtitles ensure that language barriers are overcome without altering the essence of the movie.

Handling foreign-language movie titles may seem daunting at first, but with a little research and an open mindset, you can unlock a world of cinematic wonders. From understanding literal translations to recognizing cultural significance, these tips will help you appreciate foreign films in their truest form. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the captivating journey that foreign-language films have to offer.

When it comes to social media and blog posts, it’s essential to know how to properly format movie titles to engage your audience and maintain a professional appearance. Follow these simple guidelines to ensure that your movie titles stand out and capture readers’ attention.

1. Capitalize the principal words: When writing movie titles, capitalize all the principal words, such as nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. For example, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.”

2. Use italics: Italicize movie titles to distinguish them from the rest of the text. This helps grab readers’ attention and enhances the aesthetic appeal of your post or article. For instance, “Have you watched the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow ?” or “I was blown away by the cinematography in Inception !”

3. Include quotation marks for shorter works: If you’re referencing a shorter work within a blog post or social media content, such as a short film or an episode from a TV series, use quotation marks. For example, “I highly recommend watching the TV series episode titled ‘The One with the Embryos’ from Friends .”

Remember, consistency is key when formatting movie titles. By applying these guidelines, you’ll elevate the appearance and readability of your blog posts and social media content, allowing your readers to easily identify and engage with the movie titles you mention. Don’t be afraid to showcase your love for cinema through appropriately formatted movie titles – it’s a great way to capture your audience’s attention and fuel conversations about everyone’s favorite films!

When it comes to formatting movie titles, there are a few additional tips and guidelines that can help ensure consistency and professionalism. One important thing to remember is that all movie titles should be formatted in italics. This distinguishes them from regular text and makes them stand out. To format movie titles in HTML, you can use the ` ` tag for italics. For example, if you were referencing “The Shawshank Redemption,” you would write it as ` The Shawshank Redemption `.

Another tip to keep in mind is the correct capitalization of movie titles. In general, the first and last words in a title, as well as all major words, should be capitalized. This includes nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. However, do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or), or prepositions, unless they are the first or last word of the title. For instance, the correct formatting for “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” would be ` The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring `. Keep this capitalization rule in mind to ensure your movie titles are formatted correctly and consistently throughout your work.

Q: What is the correct way to format movie titles in writing? A: When writing about movies, there are specific formatting rules to follow for movie titles. Generally, italicizing movie titles is the preferred format. For example, “Gone with the Wind” or “The Shawshank Redemption” should be italicized. However, if you are unable to use italics, you can capitalize the title instead.

Q: Are there any exceptions to this rule? A: Yes, there are a few exceptions. Short films, like those you would find on YouTube or Vimeo, should be put in quotation marks. For example, “Piper” or “The Present” should be written with quotation marks. Additionally, the titles of movies that are part of a larger body of work, such as a series or trilogy, should be italicized or put in quotation marks, depending on the original format. For instance, “Star Wars: A New Hope” or “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.”

Q: What about titles within the movie, like the names of songs or books? A: If you need to mention a song or book title within your text, those should be formatted the same way as regular book titles, which is to italicize or underline. For example, if you were discussing the movie “La La Land,” you would italicize the song titles like “City of Stars” or “Another Day of Sun.”

Q: Can movie titles also be capitalized without using italics? A: Yes, if you are unable to use italics, another acceptable method is to capitalize the title instead. This is especially useful when writing by hand, such as in handwritten notes or on physical documents. For example, if you were creating a movie poster by hand, you can capitalize the movie title like “AVATAR” or “INCEPTION.”

Q: How should foreign movie titles be formatted? A: Foreign movie titles should be treated the same as English movie titles. If you can use italics, simply italicize titles like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” or “Amélie.” If italics are not available, you can capitalize the title instead, like “KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE” or “PAN’S LABYRINTH.” The key is to maintain consistency throughout your writing.

Q: Are there any other tips to keep in mind when formatting movie titles? A: Yes, it’s important to remember that regardless of the format—italics or capitalization—the title of the movie should always be written exactly as it appears. This means using any punctuation marks, abbreviations, or specific capitalization that were originally used in the title. However, articles like “a,” “an,” or “the” should typically be excluded when alphabetizing movie titles on reference lists.

In conclusion, correctly formatting movie titles ensures clear and professional writing. Whether you’re writing an essay or a screenplay, this guide has provided all the necessary guidelines for consistent and accurate formatting.

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How to make a video essay: A guide for beginners

What type of content do you primarily create?

Video essays are an incredibly popular genre on YouTube, and many new creators are eager to have their views heard on topics in culture and politics. But making a video essay involves a lot more than just sitting in front of a camera and pressing record. This guide is intended for beginners who don’t quite know where to start. 

What is a video essay?

A video essay’s primary defining feature is that it sets out to make an argument. It is, to put it simply, like an essay you wrote in school. Video essays often cover politics, popular media, or science.

But unlike the essays you wrote in school, video essays need extensive visual accompaniment, whether that’s footage (or B-roll ), still images, or animation.

Here’s how you can get started:

Step 1: Craft a thesis

Good video essays will have a central thesis explored throughout the piece. If you can’t summarize your thesis in a sentence (sometimes two), you’ve still got work to do. The best theses immediately leave the viewer wanting to know more. Test it on friends: If you state your thesis to friends and get reactions of curiosity or excitement you’re on to something.

Consider one of my favorite video essays, whose thesis is right in the title: "Why Snowpiercer is a sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

‎ Sometimes, a thesis is a little more subtle, but nonetheless important. In Yhara Zayd’s video on horror movies, she argues that horror has always been a genre for social criticism.

‎ The rest of your video isn’t just proving that thesis, though that’s important. You'll want to explore the twists and turns of the idea. What questions does your thesis raise? What are the big doubts about your thesis, and how do you address them? How can we zoom out from your thesis and ask even bigger questions? 

Step 2: Determine your audience  

Your audience will dictate what level of complexity and detail you should cover in your video. If you’re an engineering channel, maybe you want to appeal to working engineers who understand the jargon of the profession. But if you’d like a broader audience, you’ll need to take the time to define terms and give background information. The best video essays usually appeal to both—their topics are unique enough to be interesting to people with prior knowledge of the topic, while accessible enough to be understood to a casual viewer.

Step 3: Organize your research early

Your video essay should have lots of supporting evidence. Aside from the usual list of articles and books, video essays can also use visual evidence.

If you’re commenting on media, that means hyper-specific shots and lines of dialogue. If you’re commenting on history, that means old news clips. Filmed interviews are a great resource regardless of the topic.

Whenever I'm trying to cover a show, I’ll watch the show (sometimes twice), take extensive notes, pause to write out lines of dialogue, and mark where specific moments supported various themes, motifs, or ideas. 

I've always regretted telling myself I’d remember a specific line or shot because I'd find myself spending an hour to hunt it down later in the process.

Whether you’re commenting on news footage, video games, or film and TV, I cannot stress enough how much extensive notetaking will improve your video essay later in the process.

The same advice goes for any books or news articles you might cite: annotate extensively and cite them in your piece.

Step 4: Familiarize yourself with "fair use"

Many video essays source footage from the news, TV, and film without licensing them. I'm not here to give advice on the legality of that, but I do think any video essayist should familiarize themselves with fair use .

Fair use is a set of criteria that a creator can use to defend their use of copyrighted work. It's not a license to freely use copyrighted work if you think you fit those standards; it’s a series of tests a judge should weigh in court. 

Usually, it doesn’t come to that. Most copyright issues go through YouTube’s copyright claim system , which you should also read up on. A film studio may claim your content, or block it altogether, for using their copyrighted material. YouTube allows you to appeal these claims , but if both parties won’t give up, the question can only be settled by a judge (in the US, at least).

Step 5: Start your script

Be sure to use a two-column script, rather than just writing out everything as if it were a traditional essay.

In one column, you’re writing what you’re saying, or what the footage is saying. In the other, write what you plan to show. Your notes here should be specific enough to help you later in the editing process. You may want to add a third column for notes, or sources to cite later.

Writing a video essay follows some different rules than what your English teacher might have expected. Most video essays use a conversational style, and include words, phrases, and grammar that would never fly with the written word. Sometimes that includes filler words, like starting a sentence with “so” or putting an “um” for effect. Just don’t overdo it.

Other writing rules still apply. Be concise, use active verbs, and otherwise just make sure you sound like a human.

Step 6: Film (or record)

You don’t need a $10,000 filming setup to make good video essays. Plenty of  people start with just a microphone, completely avoiding the camera altogether in what's known as a faceless YouTube video .

The two most important things to recommend: get good sound, and be natural. People can tolerate a lot of visual sins, but usually won’t put up with bad audio quality. Similarly, you don’t need to have the charisma of a talk show host, but people have no tolerance for on-screen performances that seem forced or fake.

That is all to say, get a decent microphone and be yourself. If you’re on-screen, buy a cheap teleprompter setup for your phone or camera.

Step 7: Start editing

There are many options for video editing software out there (and Descript is a great one), even for people with limited video editing experience. This article isn’t long enough to be an editing guide , but a few quick tips for a true novice:

• Don’t linger on any one visual for too long. Instead, mix up the visual interest of your video.
• Emphasize important concepts with text on screen.
• Take the time to learn a little about color grading .
• Clean up any noticeable background noise .

Step 8: Figure out your title and thumbnail

This may be the last step of this article, but it should often begin while you’re brainstorming. Your title and thumbnail should generate intrigue without giving it all away. Video essays often lean on titles with “How” and “Why.” Lessons from the Screenplay is a good example:

But video essays can also make provocative statements that make the viewer curious about how you’ll back it up. Consider Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell’s “ Smoking is Awesome ,” which I promise is not pro-tobacco.

Step 9: Publish

Finally, it's time to put your video out into the world and see how it fares. Your first video essay won't be perfect. It's important to put your work in public, take in feedback, and move on to your next project. Like all things, skill comes with time.

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7 Steps to Write a Movie Title in an Essay

By Film Threat Staff | November 6, 2021

There are indeed many types of essays you have to deal with throughout your studies. And every time you sit to type my essay , you first start looking for sources to use in your paper as examples and references. These sources can range from scholarly articles to movies. So naturally, m any times in your college essays, you’ll be asked to make reference to movies. When you do so, you will be confronted with the question of how to refer to the title of a movie in the text of your paper.

Surely, you can make your life easier and contact experts with a message “I want to pay someone to write my paper cheap ”, so you can continue watching the movies while others do your assignments. While there are some variations in how different writing styles approach movie titles, there is a general way to write the titles of movies that you should follow if you plan to discuss a movie title in your essay. So, what are the steps you need to take to write a movie title in your essay correctly? Here are the seven steps you should follow to make sure you get the title right.

If you are stymied by the right way to write about movies in your paper, you can pay someone to do papers for you. A professional writer can free you from the burden of essay writing by offering help with the correct use of movie titles in your paper and expert discussion of the movies you need to write about for your essay properly formatted in APA or MLA citation style. In order to hire an online writer, all you need to do is to contact a quality academic writing service and say, “I need you to write my essays for me online.” While quality academic writing isn’t always cheap, many services offer great value and affordable assistance to help you achieve your essay goals with some of the best professional writers with exceptional experience and a deep bank of movie knowledge to make every essay excellent. 

Many times in your college essays, you’ll be asked to make reference to movies. When you do so, you will be confronted with the question of how to refer to the title of a movie in the text of your paper. Surely, you can make your life easier and contact experts with a message “I want to pay someone to write my paper cheap ”, so you can continue watching the movies while others do your assignments. While there are some variations in how different writing styles approach movie titles, there is a general way to write the titles of movies that you should follow if you plan to discuss a movie title in your essay. So, what are the steps you need to take to write a movie title in your essay correctly? Here are the seven steps you should follow to make sure you get the title right.

Make sure you have the right movie

Many movies have very similar titles. Some have the exact same title. You don’t want to confuse Broken Arrow , a Jimmy Stewart western, with Broken Arrow , a John Travolta thriller, for example, or The House on Haunted Hill for The Haunting of Hill House . Indeed, many movies called “mockbusters” intentionally use titles to remind you of blockbuster films and you don’t want to confuse them! So, before you use a title in your paper, make sure that you have the right movie in mind.

Check the wording of the title

Many movies are known by multiple titles, often because they have been retitled to appeal to different countries. For example, Mad Max 2 became The Road Warrior in the United States. Others have their titles changed after the fact. Star Wars became Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , while Raiders of the Lost Ark had Indiana Jones and… appended to it decades later. When you refer to a movie, be sure you know the correct title for the context and how your audience will expect to see you discuss the title.

Watch out for “a” and “the”

Many movie titles either have an article before them that most people don’t say, or don’t have an article when people say one anyway. This can be a little confusing, but you’ll want to check whether the “a” or “the” at the beginning is really part of the title before you write the title so you will know whether to include it in the title.

Capitalize the title of the movie

When you write the title of a movie, you will generally follow the conventions of capitalization for titles. That means that you will capitalize the first word and the last word and all proper nouns and important words in the title. Capitalization can be tricky, however, because many movies use stylized capitalization in their advertisements and title cards. However, in formal academic writing, you will use standard capitalization except in rare circumstances where another scheme is essential for understanding. That means that if a movie uses ALL CAPS, you will not use all-caps unless they are an essential part of the title. Similarly, unusual or non-standard capitalization should be retained when it is essential. For example, the unusual capitalization of the movie eXistenZ is generally retained in writing because it is a made-up word whose spelling is correct within the movie.

Italicize movie titles

Movie titles should be italicized in most major writing styles. This sets the text apart from the rest of the sentence and indicates which words belong to the title and which do not. There are some exceptions to the rule about italicizing movie titles. The titles of short films are not typically italicized but are often placed in quotation marks. This generally applies to short subject films under half an hour in length, as well as to segments within a larger movie. This rule, however, is not hard-and-fast, and you should check the style guide for your chosen writing style to see when different punctuation is used. Another exception is newswriting. If you are writing in Associated Press style, all movie titles appear in quotation marks rather than italics because AP style does not use italicization for anything except in very rare circumstances.

Give the year of release on first reference

More often than not, it is beneficial to follow the title of a movie with the year of its release in parentheses on first reference. This will help the audience to place the movie in its correct position in time, and it will also make it easier to distinguish between films with similar or the same title. While this step is not always necessary, particularly for very famous films, it is generally good practice in academic writing.

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How to Write a Title of a Movie in a Paper

The formatting and capitalization of a movie title depends on the style guide you are using for your paper. The Modern Language Association, American Psychological Association and Chicago style place movie titles in italics, while Associated Press style uses quotes for such titles. When referring to a movie in the body of a paper, all of the major style guides use title case, which means all of the major words in the title are capitalized.

APA, MLA and Chicago style

Movie or film titles are formatted the same in APA, Chicago and MLA style. In each of these styles, the movie title is italicized in the body of the paper. For instance:

Pirates of the Caribbean broke from Disney's tradition of releasing more mature titles under alternate studio names.

Fritz Lang's M deals with the issues of suspicion and punishment in Weimar Germany.

In the body of a paper, APA, Chicago and MLA all use title case capitalization for titles of movies. All major words -- such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and pronouns -- are capitalized. Minor words -- such as prepositions, conjunctions and articles -- are lower case unless it is the first word of the title.

APA also specifies that all words more than four letters should be capitalized: Gone With the Wind . APA uses sentence case capitalization for movie titles in reference lists, which means only the first word of a title and proper nouns (names of specific people, places or things) are capitalized: For whom the bell tolls .

Associated Press Style

In AP style, movie titles are placed in quotes. Note that the normal rules for quotes within quotes still apply. Here are two examples:

"Star Wars" broke box office records when it was first released.

"I am excited to work on any film as complex as 'The Prestige,'" he said.

AP style uses title case capitalization for movie titles. However, the AP stylebook specifies that any word that is four or more letters as well as the first and last word of a title should always be capitalized.

• Rasmussen College: When writing a paper, do I use italics for all titles?
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab: MLA Formatting and Style Guide
• The Chicago Manual of Style Online: Capitalization, Titles
• RMIT University: Harvard Referencing Guide for Visual Material
• Journalist's Resource: Associated Press Style Basics

Jon Zamboni began writing professionally in 2010. He has previously written for The Spiritual Herald, an urban health care and religious issues newspaper based in New York City, and online music magazine eBurban. Zamboni has a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies from Wesleyan University.

How to do a Video Essay: The Video Essay Process

• Plan, Prepare & Create

Storyboarding

• Finding, Filming & Editing
• References & Credits
• The Video Essay Process

This section will give an introductory overview of the stages required to create a video essay.  Video essayers advice is to start simple and work through each stage of the video production process. Visit the Resources page of this guide for more.

Identify what is your argument? What is it that you want to communicate to the viewer? Write this down in a few sentences, refer and modify it as required.

Watch Video Essays

Watch a selection of video essays, read blogs and web pages from video essayers and decide what type of video essay you would like to create. Start simple.

A storyboard is a detailed outline (similar to an outline in a written essay) that helps you to organise and visualise the video essay as to what is on the screen, text, media, message and transitions between shots.

Storyboards assist in determining the length, message and meaning of the video essay and help save time with editing and post production processes.

• Free Storyboard Templates

Collect & Edit

Collect video material as downloads, ripping DVDs, screen grabs, mobile phone footage and create voice-overs. Use research skills to find information and statements to support your argument. Maintain a standard of quality and manage your videos by naming conventions and storage.

Use editing software and experiment with available functionality to enhance and support your argument. Add a voice-over, sound effects, music and other aspects of multimodality. Be sure to include references and credits to all sources used in creating the video essay.

Revisit elements of your video essay and modify as required.

Visit the Resources page of this guide for more.

• Where to find video and how to capture it
• Video Editing Basics - iMovie
• Software Guides

References & Credits

References to cite sources used in the Video Essay. Referencing is a formal, systematic way of acknowledging sources that you have used in your video essay. It is imperative that you reference all sources used (including videos, stills, music, sfx) and apply the correct formatting so that references cited can be easily traced. The referencing style used at ECU is the APA style, 6th ed. 2010. Refer to the ECU Referencing Library Guide for accurate citation in APA style.

Production credits Individuals: acknowledgement of individuals and their role in the production. Purpose: A statement for internal use, e.g. “This video was produced for [course name] at [institution’s name] in [semester, year]”

• Referencing Library Guide
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• A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies
• Modes Of Multimodality
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• Weblinks to Creative Commons Resources
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• Referencing & Copyright
• Marking Rubric
• Last Updated: Aug 28, 2023 2:57 PM
• URL: https://ecu.au.libguides.com/video-essay

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How do I mention a video game in a formal piece of writing?

What is the proper convention for mentioning the title of a video game in a formal research paper? Would I place the title in quotations, like the name of a short story ("Myst"), underline it, like the title of a book, or italicize it ( Myst )? I would prefer an answer backed up by a formal standard such as MLA, APA, Chicago, or AP, if they cover this.

• punctuation

4 Answers 4

According to Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation (Bedford-St. Martin's), the MLA citation for a video game should follow this format:

From the same source, the APA citation for a video game should follow this format:

(You can't tell from the example of Sims 2, but in an APA citation, only the first word of a title is capitalized. Therefore, Call of Duty would be listed as Call of duty.

These are the formats for a Works Cited/References entry. In the text itself, the title of the video game should be capitalized and italicized, just as the title of a book would be.

The APA does in fact cover this, though under the broader category of "software."

In text, the title of the video game should NOT be italicized (p. 210). When citing the video game, you'd use the following convention:

Copyright Holder (Year of Publication). Game Title [Software]. Location of Producer: Producer.

Note that Copyright Holder and Producer may be the same.

Source: APA manual, 6th edition. I'll confirm with MLA and Chicago when I get home.

• OP, thanks for accepting my answer, but please see the revised answer! I left out the most important word, "not." The titles should not be capitalized. For added reference, I included the page number. –  emsoff Commented Dec 29, 2014 at 20:08

Chicago Manual of Style 8.190. In running text video game titles are italicized.

According to this blog post , you simply capitalize the title when writing it in-text. The citation style in the previous two answers appears correct.

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Forging good titles in academic writing

Published on March 20, 2015 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The title is the first thing your reader will see, and most readers will make their first judgements of your work based on it. For this reason, it’s important to think about your titles carefully.

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Table of contents

Informative, striking, appropriate, title templates, writing effective headings, other interesting articles, informative title.

Your title should, above all else, convey the topic of your paper. In other words, no matter how witty, clever, original, or otherwise appealing your title may be, it fails if it is not informative.

Decide whether you’ve given a sense of the paper’s topic and claims by comparing your title’s content to the most important aspect(s) of your dissertation statement or hypothesis and conclusions.

Striking title

A striking title is one that entices your audience to read, so know your audience’s tastes.

The analogy of cultivating sexual attraction in a prospective mate is useful here: some audiences will be enticed by a title’s edginess (as with, for example, V. Alneng’s “‘What the Fuck is a Vietnam?’ Touristic Phantasms and the Popcolonization of [the] Vietnam [War],” published in Critique on Anthropology ); others will almost always prefer a more straightforward title (as with J.C. Henderson’s “War as a tourist attraction: The case of Vietnam,” published in the International Journal of Tourism Research ).

You should be able to gauge how edgy your title can be by the tone of your discipline or the publication you’re submitting to, and your main concern should be forming a title that appeals to your readers’ specific tastes.

Consider also that a title that highlights the paper’s fresh insights will often be striking.

An endocrinologist, for example, might become very excited upon seeing the collaboratively authored article “Comparison of the effects on glycaemic control and β-cell function in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients of treatment with exenatide, insulin or pioglitazone: A multicentre randomized parallel-group trial,” published in 2015 in the Journal of Internal Medicine .

This rather long title is more acceptable in the sciences, where what readers tend to find provocative in a title is the degree to which it reveals the paper’s specifics.

Appropriate title

Ensuring that your title is appropriate in a way of making sure not only that your audience understands it, but also that its appeal contributes to its meaning. To make sure the title will be understood, you need to consider how familiar your research topic will be to your audience.

In an academic essay, you can use highly technical terms in your title, but generally avoid terms that the average well-read person in your discipline might not know.

In any writing that has a broad audience, titles need to avoid language that is too sophisticated; a news article, for example, should be easily understood by all.

As a second consideration of appropriateness, make sure that your title does not entice without substance.

The title of Alneng’s paper, for example, does not use “fuck” merely to shock and therefore entice the reader; the uncommon use of a swearword here helps convey the topic of the article: more or less vulgar representations of Vietnam.

The same is true for other striking titles, such as Nancy Tuana’s “Coming to Understand: Orgasm and the Epistemology of Ignorance,” published in Hypatia .

The title’s sexually charged play on words (“coming to understand”) hooks the audience, but is not merely a hook. The pun is directly relevant to the essay’s argument, which is that sexual pleasure offers an important form of knowledge.

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• Use key terms. Find words that your audience can easily identify as markers of the topic matter. These will include, for example, terms that convey the field of research, central concepts, or subjects of study.
• Identify the context (sometimes called “the location”). By context, I mean the source or the setting of the discussion, depending on discipline. In a history paper this might be a certain century or era; in literary studies a certain book or author; and in the sciences an organism or compound.

The following is a list of title formats, with examples of each. I’ve given the names of the publications in brackets to give a sense of how different disciplines treat titles.

Note that these are not mutually exclusive patterns (i.e. it’s possible to have various combinations; e.g. General & interesting: Informative & specific). Note also that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

• Striking: Informative – The Specter of Wall Street: “Bartleby, the Scrivener” and the Language of Commodities ( American Literature )
• Informative: Striking – Carbon capture and storage: How green can black be? ( Science )
• General: Specific – The issues of the sixties: An exploratory study in the dynamics of public opinion ( Public Opinion Quarterly )
• “Quotation”: Discussion (social studies) – “I’d rather not talk about it”: Adolescents’ and young adults’ use of topic avoidance in stepfamilies ( Journal of Applied Communication Research )
• “Quotation”: Discussion (literary studies) – “I Would Prefer Not To”: Giorgio Agamben, Bartleby and the Potentiality of the Law ( Law and Critique )
• Simple and precise – Methodological issues in the use of Tsimshian oral Traditions (Adawx) in Archaeology ( Canadian Journal of Archaeology )
• Topic: Method – Mortality in sleep apnea patients: A multivariate analysis of risk factors ( Sleep )
• Topic: Significance – LC3 binds externalized cardiolipin on injured mitochondria to signal mitophagy in neurons: Implications for Parkinson disease ( Autophagy )
• Technical and very specific – Single-shot quantum nondemolition measurement of a quantum-dot electron spin using cavity exciton-polaritons ( Physical Review )

Although similar, headings are not the same as titles. Headings head paragraphs and help structure a document. Effective headings make your paper easily scannable.

Common high level headings in dissertations and research papers are “Methods”, “Research results”, and “Discussion”. Lower level headings are often more descriptive.

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What is a Video Essay? The Art of the Video Analysis Essay

I n the era of the internet and Youtube, the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of expressing ideas and concepts. However, there is a bit of an enigma behind the construction of the video essay largely due to the vagueness of the term.

What defines a video analysis essay? What is a video essay supposed to be about? In this article, we’ll take a look at the foundation of these videos and the various ways writers and editors use them creatively. Let’s dive in.

Watch: Our Best Film Video Essays of the Year

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What is a video essay?

First, let’s define video essay.

There is narrative film, documentary film, short films, and then there is the video essay. What is its role within the realm of visual media? Let’s begin with the video essay definition. 

VIDEO ESSAY DEFINITION

A video essay is a video that analyzes a specific topic, theme, person or thesis. Because video essays are a rather new form, they can be difficult to define, but recognizable nonetheless. To put it simply, they are essays in video form that aim to persuade, educate, or critique. 

These essays have become increasingly popular within the era of Youtube and with many creatives writing video essays on topics such as politics, music, film, and pop culture. 

What is a video essay used for?

• To persuade an audience of a thesis
• To educate on a specific subject
• To analyze and/or critique 

What is a video essay based on?

Establish a thesis.

Video analysis essays lack distinguished boundaries since there are countless topics a video essayist can tackle. Most essays, however, begin with a thesis. 

How Christopher Nolan Elevates the Movie Montage  •  Video Analysis Essays

Good essays often have a point to make. This point, or thesis, should be at the heart of every video analysis essay and is what binds the video together. 

Related Posts

• Stanley Kubrick Directing Style Explained →
• A Filmmaker’s Guide to Nolan’s Directing Style →
• How to Write a Voice Over Montage in a Script →

interviews in video essay

Utilize interviews.

A key determinant for the structure of an essay is the source of the ideas. A common source for this are interviews from experts in the field. These interviews can be cut and rearranged to support a thesis. 

Roger Deakins on "Learning to Light"  •  Video Analysis Essays

Utilizing first hand interviews is a great way to utilize ethos into the rhetoric of a video. However, it can be limiting since you are given a limited amount to work with. Voice over scripts, however, can give you the room to say anything. 

How to create the best video essays on Youtube

Write voice over scripts.

Voice over (VO) scripts allow video essayists to write out exactly what they want to say. This is one of the most common ways to structure a video analysis essay since it gives more freedom to the writer. It is also a great technique to use when taking on large topics.

In this video, it would have been difficult to explain every type of camera lens by cutting sound bites from interviews of filmmakers. A voice over script, on the other hand, allowed us to communicate information directly when and where we wanted to.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Lenses  •  Video essay examples

Some of the most famous video essayists like Every Frame a Painting and Nerdwriter1 utilize voice over to capitalize on their strength in writing video analysis essays. However, if you’re more of an editor than a writer, the next type of essay will be more up your alley. 

Video analysis essay without a script

Edit a supercut.

Rather than leaning on interview sound bites or voice over, the supercut video depends more on editing. You might be thinking “What is a video essay without writing?” The beauty of the video essay is that the writing can be done throughout the editing. Supercuts create arguments or themes visually through specific sequences. 

Another one of the great video essay channels, Screen Junkies, put together a supercut of the last decade in cinema. The video could be called a portrait of the last decade in cinema.

2010 - 2019: A Decade In Film  •  Best videos on Youtube

This video is rather general as it visually establishes the theme of art during a general time period. Other essays can be much more specific. 

Critical essays

Video essays are a uniquely effective means of creating an argument. This is especially true in critical essays. This type of video critiques the facets of a specific topic. 

In this video, by one of the best video essay channels, Every Frame a Painting, the topic of the film score is analyzed and critiqued — specifically temp film score.

Every Frame a Painting Marvel Symphonic Universe  •  Essay examples

Of course, not all essays critique the work of artists. Persuasion of an opinion is only one way to use the video form. Another popular use is to educate. 

• The Different Types of Camera Lenses →
• Write and Create Professionally Formatted Screenplays →
• How to Create Unforgettable Film Moments with Music →

Video analysis essay

Visual analysis.

One of the biggest advantages that video analysis essays have over traditional, written essays is the use of visuals. The use of visuals has allowed video essayists to display the subject or work that they are analyzing. It has also allowed them to be more specific with what they are analyzing. Writing video essays entails structuring both words and visuals. 

Take this video on There Will Be Blood for example. In a traditional, written essay, the writer would have had to first explain what occurs in the film then make their analysis and repeat.

This can be extremely inefficient and redundant. By analyzing the scene through a video, the points and lessons are much more clear and efficient. 

There Will Be Blood  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Through these video analysis essays, the scene of a film becomes support for a claim rather than the topic of the essay. 

Dissect an artist

Essays that focus on analysis do not always focus on a work of art. Oftentimes, they focus on the artist themself. In this type of essay, a thesis is typically made about an artist’s style or approach. The work of that artist is then used to support this thesis.

Nerdwriter1, one of the best video essays on Youtube, creates this type to analyze filmmakers, actors, photographers or in this case, iconic painters. 

Caravaggio: Master Of Light  •  Best video essays on YouTube

In the world of film, the artist video analysis essay tends to cover auteur filmmakers. Auteur filmmakers tend to have distinct styles and repetitive techniques that many filmmakers learn from and use in their own work. 

Stanley Kubrick is perhaps the most notable example. In this video, we analyze Kubrick’s best films and the techniques he uses that make so many of us drawn to his films. 

Why We're Obsessed with Stanley Kubrick Movies  •  Video essay examples

Critical essays and analytical essays choose to focus on a piece of work or an artist. Essays that aim to educate, however, draw on various sources to teach technique and the purpose behind those techniques. 

What is a video essay written about?

Historical analysis.

Another popular type of essay is historical analysis. Video analysis essays are a great medium to analyze the history of a specific topic. They are an opportunity for essayists to share their research as well as their opinion on history. 

Our video on aspect ratio , for example, analyzes how aspect ratios began in cinema and how they continue to evolve. We also make and support the claim that the 2:1 aspect ratio is becoming increasingly popular among filmmakers. 

Why More Directors are Switching to 18:9  •  Video analysis essay

Analyzing the work of great artists inherently yields a lesson to be learned. Some essays teach more directly.

• Types of Camera Movements in Film Explained →
• What is Aspect Ratio? A Formula for Framing Success →
• Visualize your scenes with intuitive online shotlist software →

Writing video essays about technique

Teach technique.

Educational essays designed to teach are typically more direct. They tend to be more valuable for those looking to create art rather than solely analyze it.

In this video, we explain every type of camera movement and the storytelling value of each. Educational essays must be based on research, evidence, and facts rather than opinion.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement  •  Best video essays on YouTube

As you can see, there are many reasons why the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of communicating information. Its ability to use both sound and picture makes it efficient and effective. It also draws on the language of filmmaking to express ideas through editing. But it also gives writers the creative freedom they love. 

Writing video essays is a new art form that many channels have set high standards for. What is a video essay supposed to be about? That’s up to you. 

Organize Post Production Workflow

The quality of an essay largely depends on the quality of the edit. If editing is not your strong suit, check out our next article. We dive into tips and techniques that will help you organize your Post-Production workflow to edit like a pro. 

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How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples

(Last updated: 5 April 2024)

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We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

Crafting an essay title is like designing the cover of a book – it's the first thing your professors see, setting the stage for what's inside. As such, the title is crucial because it's the reader's first impression. In this guide, we'll explore why a good essay title matters, offer tips to help you learn how to title an essay and provide examples to illustrate which titles work and which don't.

The Importance of a Good Essay Title

The significance of a good essay title cannot be overstated. Beyond its role as a mere label, a compelling title serves as a powerful tool for drawing your professor’s attention. A good title not only encapsulates the essence of the essay but also reflects the author's voice and perspective. It sets the tone for the entire piece, guiding readers in their interpretation and understanding of the content. Moreover, a well-crafted title can enhance the credibility and authority of the essay, signalling that the author has invested thought and care into their work.

How to Write a Good Title for Your Essay

Crafting a good title requires a blend of creativity, precision, and strategic thinking. To create an effective title, consider the following tips:

• Brainstorm Ideas : Begin by brainstorming keywords, phrases, and concepts related to your essay topic. Explore different angles and perspectives that encapsulate the essence of your argument or analysis.
• Consider the Audience : Reflect on your target audience and their interests, preferences, and expectations. Tailor your title to resonate with your intended readership, striking a balance between familiarity and intrigue.
• Capture the Essence : Reports often incorporate tables, charts, graphs, and other visual aids to enhance the presentation of data and facilitate understanding.
• Evoke Emotion or Intrigue : Tap into the emotional or intellectual curiosity of your readers by crafting a title that evokes emotion, prompts reflection, or poses a compelling question. Consider using provocative language, vivid imagery, or rhetorical devices to capture readers' attention.
• Revise and Refine: : Once you've generated potential titles, take time to revise and refine them. Experiment with different word choices, phrasings, and structures until you find a title that resonates and feels cohesive with the content of your essay.

Characteristics of a Good Title

A good title shares several key characteristics:

Descriptive : Clearly communicates the topic or main idea of the essay. Engaging : Captures the reader's attention and sparks curiosity. Concise : Succinctly summarises the content without being overly long or verbose. Relevant : Directly relates to the content and theme of the essay. Original : Avoids clichés and generic phrases. Try to strive for originality and creativity.

Essay Title Examples (Good vs. Bad)

Let's examine additional examples of good and bad essay titles to illustrate these principles:

Good Title : "Exploring Identity: The Intersection of Culture and Self-Perception" Bad Title : "Essay on Identity"

The good title invites readers to explore complex questions surrounding identity and self-perception, fostering curiosity and engagement. In contrast, the bad title lacks specificity and fails to capture the richness and depth of the essay's subject matter.

Good Title : "Breaking Barriers: The Evolution of Women's Rights in the 21st Century" Bad Title : "Essay on Women's Rights"

The good title is engaging and suggests a narrative, while the bad title is a little bland and lacks imagination.

Writing a Catchy Title for Your Essay

To craft a catchy title, consider employing the following strategies:

Wordplay and Alliteration : Incorporate puns, alliteration, or clever wordplay to make your title memorable and attention-grabbing.

Question or Provocation : Pose a thought-provoking question or statement that challenges readers' assumptions or prompts them to reconsider their perspectives.

Use of Imagery and Metaphor : Invoke vivid imagery or metaphorical language that evokes emotion, stimulates the senses, or conveys abstract concepts in concrete terms.

Surprise Element : Introduce an unexpected twist or element of surprise that captures readers' attention and leaves them eager to learn more.

Elevate Your Essay with An Engaging Title

Writing a good title for your essay requires time, skill, and a keen understanding of your subject matter. Crafting an essay title is more than just a formality—it's an art that can set the stage for the narrative that follows. With practice and attention to detail, you'll master the art of essay titling and unleash the full potential of your written creations.

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• The Video Essay

So you want to make a video essay...

The video essay: how-to, featured video essays.

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Academic Journals

• in[Transition] : The first open access, peer-reviewed journal on videographic criticism
• AUDIOVISUALCY: Videographic Film and Moving Image Studies : An online forum for video essays or works of audovisual screen studies that have an analytical, critical, reflexive or scholarly purpose; fully attribute all sources used; are made according to Fair Use principles; are non-commercial in nature.

Video Essay Channels

• Every Frame a Painting  
• Indietrix Film Reviews
• 100 Years of Cinema  
• Channel Criswell  
• Lindsay Ellis

Library Guides

• Tufts University Library: Multimedia Production
• Edith Cowan University Library: The Video Essay
• Pace University Library: Film Criticism

What is a video essay ?

Christian Keathley, a Professor of Film & Media Culture at Middlebury College & co-founder of in[Transition], defines video essays as

“short critical essays on a given film or filmmaker, typically read in voice-over by the author and supplemented with carefully chosen and organized film clips”

Video essays have found incresased popularity in recent years on digital content sharing platforms like YouTube & Vimeo. Despite their scholarly-focused and argument-driven nature, video essays have since been associated with (and mistaken for) other popular forms of commentary (e.g. movie commentaries, reaction videos, online fan-edits, etc.) shared on the same platforms. The two do have similarities in their accessibility and utilize the same set of creative tools and texhniques. However, the video essay in its academic form does follow certain conventions (a written critical component from the author, scholarly research, and peer review), as opposed to popular commentaries. 

Video essays as a medium are an important audivisual form of scholarship, particularly in terms of expression, creation, and accessibility. Traditional essays may not always lend themselves to the fullest expression of film and how we interpret/analyze visual images. As students of film and media studies, it is important to both understand the medium from a critical point of view, as well as from a creative point of view. 

• Planning & Preparation
• Gathering Materials & Filming
• Editing & Sharing
• Understanding File Formats

So you've been assigned a video essay for class, or you want to make one on your own...

Where do you start? Like any other form of traditional essay, you will begin by Developing A Topic , whether it's a persuasive argument, a narrative story, or a research question. If you’re telling a story, think about good elements of narrative. If you’re making an argument in your video essay, think about the elements of making an effective argument. If you're drafting a research question, make sure to be specific and answer the following: who?, what?, where?, when?, why?, and how?

For more information about developing a topic or researcj question, please check out the following resources: 

• Pace Library Guide: The Research Process, Step-By-Step
• Pace Library Guide: Getting Started with Research

Once you have a well-developed topic and/or research question, then you can Create an Outline and Write a Script for your video essay. Utilizing your background research, evidence from whichever piece(s) of media you are analyzing/discussing, and your own arguments/interpretations of that media, you can build an outline and write a basic script to refer to when filmming and/or recording your video essay. This script will especially be important if you plan to record a voiceover. 

For more information about how to write a script/create an outline, please check out the following resources: 

• Excelsior Online Writing Lab: Video Essays
• How To Make A Video Essay: Writing   by  Indietrix Film Reviews

Now, you've got your script and you're ready to start gathering materials (scenes, images, audio, etc.) to edit into your video essay.  The best place to capture images is always  from a high-resolution DVD, Blue-ray, or video file. 

There are a couple of different places you can acquire these files. Of course, you can always invest in your own copies of the physical media. This is the best (and most ethical ) way to get high quality images, video, and footage.

Should you wish to do a screen capture, you can use platforms like Camtasia or Clip Converter to record images or footage directly from your screen. These aren't always the most ethical means to record footage, so if you choose to do so, be sure to consult Fair Use Guidelines before doing so. For this process, you will also likely need a DVD Drive, whether external or internal. Having one that can read DVDs and Blu-rays is a plus! Resoruces for how to do these technical processes are included below. 

Before you actually aquire any footage or media for your video essay, it's important to weigh the ethical considerations (i.e. Fair Use & Copyright Law) no matter what the media is or your intention to use it. 

Resources: 

• How To Make A Video Essay: Footage and Voiceover   from  Indietrix Film Reviews  
• How To Make Video Essays:  This video is especially helpful in terms of the technology of filming and recording voiceovers for video essays, less so the other aspects of video essay production. 
• Camtasia: Screen Capture & Recording Tutorials

As for finding stock photos or images to use that are in the Public Domain , check out this well-curated list of public domain image libraries, websites, and archives at the Tufts University Library Multimedia Production Resource Guide . 

Use editing software and experiment with available functionality to enhance and support your argument. Add a voice-over, sound effects, music and other aspects of multimodality. Be sure to include references and credits to all sources used in creating the video essay. 

For more information on editing video essays, please check out the following resources: 

• How to Make a Video Essay: Editing by  Indietrix Film Reviews
• Vimeo: Editing Basics

When creating, saving, uploading, and sharing video essays, it's important to have a basic understanding of digitail file formats, for videos, audio, and images. 

Linked below are some resources (websites, videos, & infographics) to help you learn how to navigate each file format and learn their best uses. It's likely you'll become aware of and proficient at most of this as you move through your Film & Screen Studies coursework, so think of these resources as a brief introduction to the topic and/or as little reminders for you to refer to in the future. 

Books: 

• Portable Moving Images: A Media History of Storage  Formats  by Ricardo Cedeño Montaña
• Images on the Move: Materiality - Networks -  Formats   Editor: Olga Moskatova

Blog Posts: 

• Understanding Video File Formats, Codecs and Containers by Andy Owen at TechSmith
• Video Formats – Meaning, types and everything you should know   by  Akeem Okunola at InEvent
• Image file formats: When to Use Each File Type   by Samual Lundquist at 99Designs

Other Resources: 

• Introduction to Digital Format Preservation, The Library of Congress

Image Credit: WonderShare, "Top 9 Video Formats You May Want to Know In 2023." 

The Place of Voiceover in Academic Audiovisual Film and Television Criticism from Ian Garwood on Vimeo .

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• Last Updated: Aug 30, 2024 1:41 PM
• URL: https://libguides.pace.edu/film_studies