B-roll footage has been in use since the early days of film, and it’s not about to lose its place in video editing any time soon. It serves as a break in visual monotony, maintains the viewers’ attention, and gives them additional information without written or spoken words.
Here, we will take you through:
- What is considered as B-roll footage?
- Its importance in video editing, how to get this content, and
- Some examples of how it is used.
What is B-roll footage?
B-roll is a video editing term that refers to all the footage that is considered not to be the main/primary action. B-roll is basically the additional footage used in videos or films.
The term originates in the early days of filmmaking when supplemental footage (called the B-roll) was inserted into the main footage to hide the visible lines created when two pieces of film were joined.
In the present-day context, B-roll footage includes a number of different shots, like:
- Establishing shots of locations.
- Close-ups of objects or details.
- Shots of people or actions.
- Scenic views.
- Anything that adds to the information or visual appeal of the video.
What is B-roll footage used for? (Its importance)
B-roll in video editing is essential because it improves the viewing experience through various means. It’s true that not every single video has or even needs such visual content, but certain types of videos, like narrative features, news stories, and documentary films, can benefit a lot from them. The following are some of the ways in which B-roll footage improves a video.
Aids in storytelling
You can enhance the storytelling in a video by using B-roll to supplement the visuals and support or reinforce the plot. You can set the mood, elaborate on the subject matter, provide additional information, show the environment, or convey feelings and emotions in a more visually engaging way.
Establishing a scene
Another use for B-roll content is to let the viewer know about the location and time of the main action. Used this way, the secondary footage helps a lot in understanding the context of the video. For example, you can show the viewer that it is the daytime by showing a shot of the sky during the day. You can also show the passage of time by showing sped-up footage of the sky going from afternoon to evening or evening to nighttime.
To show the location of the scene, suppose it is happening inside a house. You can show footage of the home’s exterior so the viewer knows where the action is taking place.
Making the visuals more interesting
B-roll footage can also be used creatively to keep viewers interested in the video content. Suppose your video is just one person talking for two minutes straight; the audience might get bored because it’s monotonous. So, in between the monologue, you can switch to visuals that give more information about what the person is saying (without cutting the audio, of course), just so that there is some change in the scene. You’ll find this type of supplemental visual in documentaries or interviews.
Similarly, you can use B-roll to support what the speaker is saying by keeping the audio as a voiceover.
Smooth transitions
B-roll can also be used to cover up any cuts in the video for a seamless transition. Using it as a transition, you can also easily cover up coughs, mistakes, and unwanted frames that might have been missed during filming.
It is pretty versatile, so you can use it in whatever way supports the main footage. Just ensure that it contains visuals that are relevant to the topic, not just some random footage.
Emphasize an idea
You can also highlight concepts, ideas, themes, and characteristics (well-suited for interviews and documentaries) using B-roll footage. A good example of this kind of supplemental content is how undirected footage of a person is played during an interview to show their nature, skill, or their relationship with the people around them.
A-roll vs. B-roll: What’s the difference?
The main difference between A-roll and B-roll is that the former is all the footage that contains the action and subjects that are part of the main story. However, the term A-roll has largely gone out of use.
On the other hand, B-roll, as we’ve already discussed, is the footage that contains everything that isn’t considered the A-roll. It is possible to make videos without any B-roll footage, but you cannot make a video without any A-roll.
How do you get B-roll footage?
B-roll content is pretty generic for the most part, so it often doesn’t matter when you take it or where you take it from. Still, there are several different ways in which you can get supplemental footage.
Secondary unit
Usually, B-roll is captured at the same time as the primary footage. In such cases, there’s another camera crew (called a secondary unit) present, whose only job is to capture B-roll. Even if you haven’t captured the footage during the primary filming, you can still manage to get some generic shots between scenes or at another time. Like we said just a bit earlier, B-roll content is generic, so viewers usually can’t tell when the supplementary footage is taken at a different time or place.
Keep filming
Another option is for your primary filming crew to keep rolling, even after a take. Anything can happen between takes, and you never really know what you might end up catching on film, which can be of use in video editing.
Archived videos and photos
Archived videos and photos come in handy as B-roll content when you are making video content about historical events. Not all historical events might have left behind photographic or video evidence, but when they are available, they serve as useful supporting visuals.
Stock footage
Finally, you can turn to stock footage to serve as secondary footage in your video production. Stock footage is generic video that shows particular actions, people, and locations. There are many stock footage sites from where you can get your B-roll content for a nominal fee or a subscription.
Utilize stock footage when necessary due to its generic nature.
Here are some locations where you can find royalty-free stock footage:
- Pexels (free)
- Canva (free and paid)
- Pixabay (free)
- Shutterstock (paid)
- Adobe Stock (paid)
Points to remember when choosing your B-roll
The kind of supplemental footage you use usually depends on the context, subject, and intended mood of the video you are making. So, when picking your B-roll, ensure that the footage:
- Matches the style of the rest of the project
- Is high quality
- Is it royalty-free or you have bought the license to use it?
Establishing shots in a coffee shop
Here the B-roll is establishing the location of the scene- a coffee shop
Transition and supporting footage
Here, the B-roll shows the interviewee training in a gym while she speaks, and it also serves as a transition between interviewees.
Keeping the visuals interesting and engaging
Here, the B-roll footage is shot in an interesting way to make the routine task of making tea look more interesting
Concluding thoughts
B-roll footage is a very important part of visual storytelling. It does so many things at the same time, like establishing a location and time of day, keeping the visuals interesting, and providing the visuals to back up claims, all without the use of words or text. While supplemental footage is not mandatory, there are definitely cases where it makes a difference in visual appeal.