There is no single "right" way to cite a video recording because the important information for a reader might be the director of the film, the production company, a performer, the composer of a musical work, etc. Like any other citation, the purpose of a video recording citation is to lead the reader to EXACTLY the same version of the source material the researcher used in their research. DVDs or online videos are often "re-mastered" from film or VHS tapes, and significant changes are made, so it is essential to cite the correct format. Below are a few suggestions of ways to think about and cite common types of video resources. These are meant only as templates. Variations on the notes below are likely, and almost certainly necessary.
(CMS 17 14.265)
Craft your notes and bibliography to emphasize the information most important to your argument. Be consistent. For example, do not cite the exact same work emphasizing the directory one time and the performers another time. Use time code (hh:mm:ss) in place of page numbers to indicate moment being discussed
Note Number. Film Title, directed by Directorfirst M. Directorlast, (FilmReleaseDate; PlacePublished: Label, VideoReleaseDate), format. Other information (time code, etc.) as needed.
1. Blade Runner (Director's Cut), directed by Ridley Scott (1992; Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 1999), DVD. 00:34:17.
Note Number. Directorfirst M. Directorlast, dir., "Episode Title," Series Title, episode number, aired Date, on Channel (PlacePublished: Label, VideoReleaseDate), format. Other information as needed.
13. Joseph Pevney, dir., "The Trouble with Tribbles," Star Trek: the Original Series, season 2, episode 15, aired December 29, 1967, on NBC (Hollywood, CA: CBS DVD, 2012), DVD. 00:05:27.
Note Number. Contributorfirst M. Contributorlast, role, "Episode Title," Series Title, episode number, directed by Directorfirst M. Directorlast, aired Date, on Channel (PlacePublished: Label, VideoReleaseDate), format. Other information as needed.
17. Catherine Tregenna, screenwriter, "Captain Jack Harkness," Torchwood, series 1, episode 12, directed by Ashley Way, aired January 1, 2007, on BBC Three. (Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2008), DVD.
For the short note, cite whatever is needed to match the full citation in a previous note and in the bibliography. (CMS17 14.29-36). Please note that the use of short notes is preferred over the use of "Ibid." in 17th edition of Chicago Style. However, "Ibid." is still allowed as an option.
Note Number. Lastname, Short Title, other information as needed.
12. Blade Runner (Director's Cut), 00:32:21.
13. Tregena, Captain Jack Harkness, 00:12:27.
14. Ibid., 00:14:01.
Alphabetize by the bibliographic information that you have chosen to emphasize. In the examples below, Blade Runner is first because we are ordering it by "B" (the first word in it's title), while "The Trouble with Tribbles" is ordered by "P" (for director Pevney), and "Captain Jack Harkness" is ordered by "T" (for screenwriter Tregena).
LastName, FirstName M. "Title of Episode." Title of Series, season number, episode number. Aired date, on network. PlacePublished: Label, VideoReleaseDate. Format.
Blade Runner (Director's Cut). Directed by Ridley Scott. 1992; Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 1999. DVD.
Pevney, Joseph, dir. "The Trouble with Tribbles." Star Trek: the Original Series, season 2, episode 15. Aired December 29, 1967, on NBC. Hollywood, CA: CBS DVD, 2012. DVD.
Tregenna, Catherine, screenwriter. "Captain Jack Harkness." Directed by Ashley Way. Torchwood, series 1, episode 12. Aired January 1, 2007, on BBC Three. Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2008. DVD.
(CMS17 14.280)
Follow the suggestions for VHS/DVD with the addition of a stable URL, doi, or the name of the database. An accessed date should be included, since tracks and recordings may disappear from services or websites. Provide the exact format if you know the file type. Streaming services often do not provide complete publication information. To identify an exact event or quotation within the video, use time code. IN the fourth example, time code is used to indicate the total length of the episode, rather than citing a specific scene:
Note Number. Directorfirst M. Directorlast, dir., "Episode Title," Series Title, episode number, aired Date, on Channel, with other information as needed. Format, and/or URL.
13. Joseph Pevney, dir., "The Trouble with Tribbles," Star Trek: the Original Series, season 2, episode 15, aired December 29, 1967, on NBC, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HEE6GS.
58. Stephen Schwartz, The Magic Show: Lion Tamer, YouTube, 2:19-2:44, sung by Didi Conn, from the 1983 filmed stage production of The Magic Show with Doug Henning, posted by Rachel Doyle, December 7, 2013, accessed December 7, 2016, https://youtu.be/5HCBCvhtZhc?list=PL9z1K-B6tNyKei9HJmeQ3aiaEdEjvabrj
59. Rent, directed by Chris Columbus, with Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Jesse L. Martin, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Idina Menzel, Tracy Thomas, and Taye Diggs, based on Jonathan Larson's musical of the same name, 2005, Netflix. Accessed March 14, 2019.
77. Christine Herbes-Sommers, director, "The Difference Between Us," Race: the Power of an Illusion, episode 1, video, 67:03 (San Francisco, CA: California Newsreel, 2003). https://search.alexanderstreet.com/lti/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C1859751.
LastName, FirstName M. "Title of Episode." Title of Series, season number, episode number. Aired date, on network. Accessed Date. URL.
DuVernay, Ava, dir. 13th. Sherman Oaks, CA: Kandoo Films, 2016. https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741.
Herbes-Sommers, Christine, dir. "The Difference Between Us." Race: the Power of an Illusion. Episode 1. Video, 67:03. San Francisco, CA: California Newsreel, 2003. https://search.alexanderstreet.com/lti/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C1859751.