What is B Roll Footage in a Video?

 

We include b-roll footage in every video we shoot.  During the last few discovery calls, our client asked, “What is b roll?” as we discussed the details of the video shoot.  Let’s go over it so you know what it is and why it’s vital for your shoot.

 

What it Is:

 

B roll is the video footage that supports the main speaking parts (or A roll).  Examples of this footage include an aerial drone shot of your office, a pan showing your team members collaborating, etc.  It shows what’s being talked about in the video.

 

b roll example

 

Why it’s Important:

 

B roll is important because it helps with the flow of the video.  Typically, it’s boring if you’re just talking into the camera for a minute or 2.

Adding b-roll footage breaks up the video and helps tell the story by showing what you’re explaining.  We recently shot a lighting video for Hawkins Landscape & Outdoors.  Instead of the project manager just talking about the app that controls the lights, we shot footage of him using it to show it in action.

 

How We Get It:

 

To build trust for your brand, we’re on a mission to eliminate stock videos and stock photography.  One of the things we cover in your pre-production meeting is how we will be getting the b roll for your video.

We can shoot this footage with your team members and/or customers at your office or job site.

We will also shoot aerial/drone footage and/or time-lapse footage to add different levels of creativity to ensure potential customers watch your video all the way through.

 

We hope this helps explain more about the video production process and we look forward to helping you with your next project.