Download This PaperThe Auteur as Editor
73 Stanford Law Review Online 11 (2020)
7 Pages Posted: 15 May 2020 Last revised: 22 May 2020
Date Written: April 20, 2020
Abstract
This short Essay argues against Bluebook Rule 18.6, which instructs how to cite films, and offers a better rule to replace it. The current rule is wrong because it cites production companies instead of film directors, counter to the Bluebook’s commitment to treating individuals rather than corporations as responsible for their work. Examining the issue through the lenses of Bluebook history, comparative citation guidelines, and film theory, the Essay suggests that film citations should recognize both individual directors and the collaborative character of filmmaking. The proposed rule finds a balance by analogizing the role of director to that of the editor in edited volumes.So, in spite of The Bluebook, the way to cite films in law review articles is this: MOVIE TITLE [small caps] (Director’s Name dir., year).
Keywords: Bluebook, Footnotes, Citation Rules, Legal Writing, Law and Film, Art Law, Film Theory, Auteur Theory
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation