Shots & framing
B-roll: definition and examples
What is B-roll?
B-roll is supplemental footage intercut with the primary footage (A-roll) to add visual context, cover edits, and maintain viewer interest. In short-form video, b-roll of products, environments, or hands-on action gives the edit variety and fills gaps between talking-head segments.
When you'd use it
- 1When a talking-head segment runs long and the editor needs visual variety to hold attention.
- 2When a jump cut or transition looks jarring and needs footage to cover it.
- 3When the script references a product, place, or action that the a-roll shot cannot show.
- 4When a scene needs environmental or contextual shots before cutting to the main subject.
Example
A 30-second product demo for a water bottle brand opens with five seconds of a founder speaking to camera (a-roll), then cuts to six seconds of the bottle being filled, sealed, and tossed into a gym bag (b-roll) while the voiceover continues. The b-roll segment is where 80% of the product detail lands because the viewer is watching the object while the voiceover carries the words.
Use cases
- 1Cutting to close-up product footage during a founder talking-head segment.
- 2Covering a transition between interview answers with footage of the workspace or environment.
- 3Showing hands-on action shots over a voiceover walkthrough to make abstract steps concrete.
FAQ
What is the difference between b-roll and a cutaway?
A cutaway is a specific type of b-roll that cuts away from the main subject to something else in the same scene or story, often to show a reaction or a related detail. B-roll is the broader category. All cutaways are b-roll, but not all b-roll is a cutaway. A wide shot of a city street used to establish location is b-roll; a cut to an audience member laughing during an interview is a cutaway.
Make on-brand short-form video from the footage you already have.