What The Heck is B-roll?!

So you’ve wrapped up a killer filming session with an amazing performance delivered by your subject. All of the footage you’ve captured is golden, but you had to break for lunch and stop the camera a few times to swap batteries. Despite a flawless video shoot, you’ll still need to cut out the dead space and splice the breaks together if you want to create one cohesive video.  

At this point, you’ve learned some simple methods for how to hide the jump cuts either by “punching in” on your subject with the primary camera angle, or by switching to a second camera (if that’s an option), but after a while, this can start to feel repetitive. How else can we hide cuts, engage our viewer, and emphasize key elements of our message? That’s where B-roll comes in!

What is it?

If A-roll is considered your primary footage, the heart of the message and what you want your viewer to see the most of, B-roll footage is everything else. While it can be used creatively in many ways, B-roll is made up of relevant footage that plays over the top of your speaker. There’s no need for audio so you can shoot it quickly, and it effectively turns this portion of your video into a voiceover.

Think of the Allstate Mayhem commercials. The scene opens with the Mayhem guy describing the distraction (or destruction) he’s trying to portray, then the camera cuts to him wreaking havoc on some innocent, unsuspecting individual. While the subject (Mr. Mayhem) is on screen, the voice you hear is from the A-roll, and what you see is B-roll.

Or the typical used car tv spot. You’re greeted by the nice family who has owned the business for 40 years, and while they share their story of values and sense of community, the camera cuts to B-roll footage of the car lot and happy people shaking hands to reinforce the message.

When in doubt, just remember:

Primary footage = A-roll
Everything else = B-roll

Why Do I Need It?

This is certainly a loaded question, because B-roll is not required for every video. Having said that, B-roll footage is perfect for hiding those jump cuts we talked about earlier. The viewer will see a well timed clip of something relevant to the overall message and better yet, good B-roll will even emphasize the point the speaker is trying to make. B-roll is more than just extra footage, and can be used strategically as a means of driving your message home.

A quick tip for filming B-roll: Shoot B-roll after you’ve filmed the A-roll, or primary footage. This way you already know the message, and can plan out your secondary shots to directly match the story. If your subject is requesting donations to the animal shelter they own, it wouldn’t make sense to show B-roll of a celebrity on their yacht off the Amalfi Coast. In fact, that could even be considered offensive to some! Your footage matters, and everything shown on screen should be relevant to the message and free from distractions.

But Wait, There’s More!

This may seem obvious, but I think it’s worth noting that B-roll can (and should) also be entertaining and engaging. We certainly want this to be relevant footage that directly complements the message, and we know that it can be used strategically to hide jump cuts, but B-roll provides a unique opportunity to engage with your audience - to become relatable with your viewer.

Have you heard the expression, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it that matters?” Your primary footage often answers the question of ‘what,’ but it’s that secondary, complementary B-roll footage that showcases ‘how.’ It takes your message from a one-way speech, and invites the viewer into the story. In other words, it’s the feeling you get when watching your video.

A + B = Showtime

Does every video call for B-roll? Of course not. That is why it’s so important to know your viewer and understand your message so that you can choose the best video style that will resonate most with your intended audience. If your video calls for B-roll, remember to use it strategically to hide jump cuts, emphasize the critical points of your message, and of course provide entertainment for your viewer.

Now that you know what B-roll footage is, how can you use it in your next project? B-roll is a necessary part of video. Now that you have another tool for your videography tool belt, get out there, film some B-roll, and make something amazing!