So what is b-roll?
B-roll is the shots you put over your talking-head footage, that help to add interest to the video and further demonstrate what you’re talking about.
Some videos are made entirely of b-roll. If you’re not yet comfortable sitting in front of the camera you can create a voice over and use b-roll to fill in the entire video instead.
You may choose to film your own b-roll, but if don’t have the time, tools, or interest to do that there are heaps of stock footage resources out there, both free and paid that you can check out here:
Free Stock Footage Sites:
- Pexels.com
- Pixabay.com
- Mixkit.co
- Videvo.net (Free and paid options)
Paid Stock Footage Sites:
We’re going to look at some techniques for shooting beginner vs pro b-roll, whether you’re using a smartphone or a camera. Let’s first look at why b-roll is so important.
Every time a video has a cut point, our brains refresh. There’s new information; it’s time to pay attention again!
When there is significant motion in a video, our brains continue to refresh as well. If there isn’t enough movement or activity happening, we’d better hope our audience is invested enough in the content to stick around.
This is where we can utilise b-roll to help illustrate what we’re talking about and make our videos more interesting.
In the video at the top of this post I created two versions of a short how-to recipe video (Healthy One-Pot Taco Pasta which you can look at the recipe for here).
One version with average shots and lots of mistakes, the other with some actual planning and creativity based on the steps involved in creating the dish.
They were both shot on an iPhone and handheld, no fancy tools were used at all, except for one LED that helped boost the ambient light in the kitchen.
So, let’s go through the filming process step by step, and compare beginner b-roll to pro b-roll.
Create a Shot List
The first thing you want to do when shooting a how-to video, before you even think about picking up a camera, is figure out the steps involved in the process.
I wrote down all the recipe steps and worked out what shots I needed to tell the story. I listed more shots than were necessary, but it’s always better to arrive at the edit with too much footage than not enough!
A shot list can be very simple or quite complex depending on the scale of the video.
If shooting a corporate video for a client, I’ll spend time talking to them about what might be available for us to shoot, what locations we can access, and then brainstorm ideas to put into a plan for the day of shooting.
This way I can estimate how much time the shoot will take, whether we’ll need props or what our backup plan will be if it rains or we don’t have access to something that was in the original plan.
This shot list may be strategically planned out with a script, or it could simply be a page of dot-points to refer back to for ideas so we’re not wasting too much time on the day.
Use Different Angles
For these videos I wanted to shoot lots of close-ups, but if I shot them all from the same angle, they wouldn’t cut together very well and it would be quite jarring to watch. So I had to diversify the height, angle and position of the camera to create enough difference in the shots for the video to flow.
The beginner b-roll video I filmed mostly from the same angle, and it gets very repetitive. In the pro b-roll video I changed it up and showed different angles because I had planned my shots and the end result was much more interesting.
Experiment with getting down low, or shooting from overhead to get different angles.
Also, consider the motion of the shot itself; can you follow it, and be part of it instead of just being an observer as it passes through? Even subtle motion is more interesting than no motion at all.
Can you create a sequence with your shots? Is there a purpose? Can you demonstrate something by leading the viewer to it using motion?
Shake it up, experiment, try things even if you aren’t sure if they’ll pan out. That is how you learn to shoot great b-roll!
Change the Clip Speed
You can also change up your shots by playing with the speed of your clips. We love being able to view the world in way we can’t with our own eyes.
So experimenting with slow motion and timelapse clips can make your video more intriguing because we physically can’t see things in slow motion or in timelapse.
You could take that one step further and change the speed of your clip from fast, to slow, to fast again when you get to the edit.
Leverage
Use your body as an extension of your camera; when you want to put motion into your shot, use your whole body to do it, rather than just your hands. Your shots will be much more stable this way.
Or if you’re leaning down getting a super close detail and you can’t use your whole body, rest your elbow or wrist on something solid to give you extra support for a steady shot.
You can get great tools like phone tripods, a gorilla pod that has flexible legs, smartphone gimbals and all kinds of smartphone lenses.
You can check out some of the cool toys that are available for smartphone shooting here;
- Smartphone Gorilla Pod; a tripod with flexible legs that you can wrap around any surface to achieve those hard to get shots (Amazon)
- Gorilla Pod; a full size version for your camera (Amazon)
- Smart Phone Gimbal; shoot incredibly steady footage using a gimbal especially designed for your smartphone. This setup is great for vlogging using your phone or filming on the go with a lot of motion (Amazon)
- Smartphone tripod; keep it steady and record piece to cameras or timelapse footage using a tripod for your phone (Amazon)
Some of the links are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Things to look out for…
We filmed the videos straight under the kitchen lights to keep it as natural and candid as possible. Also to demonstrate that it’s important to be aware of your shadow or reflection sneaking into the shot!
You may need to reposition or try a different angle altogether if you can’t avoid certain lights or reflective surfaces.
You might not see it at first on a small screen, but things like stainless steel, glass, and even the shiny splashback in your kitchen can be extremely reflective. Look out for your reflection in unexpected places.
The more you shoot, the more your eye will become trained to see these things.
Be aware of your background and any unwanted elements that may sneak into shot. Clean up the entire area you’re shooting in if you’re going to be moving around to avoid things like spare tripods, water bottles, laundry, dirty dishes… trust me I’ve seen it all… messing up your shot.
Give yourself room to move
When you are filming anything, always leave tail at the end of the shot. This is an extra few seconds of safety in case you get to the edit and realise you needed just a bit more.
See your shot through, and then hold it, or continue the motion gently for a little bit longer than you think is necessary, to save you lots of trouble in the long run.
But don’t let it drag on too long
On the other side of the spectrum, when you do get to the edit, less is more!
How can you tell the story in as little time as possible? This also relates to what we spoke about earlier in regards to brain refresh.
The ideal length for your b-roll clips is 2-5 seconds, depending on the pace of your video.
You may have this amazing shot that you want to see through because it’s beautiful and you’re so happy with it… but if it goes on for too long, your audience can actually get fatigued, and scroll on to the next video. Clip fatigue is a real thing, my friends.
One small thing you can do to make your videos look more professional is to shorten your shots. Of course, this is mainly done in the edit, but you should always be thinking about how your video will cut together when you’re filming it.
Keeping this idea in mind will change the way you shoot your videos. Continually ask yourself, how can you tell the story of each individual shot in as little time as possible?
If the motion is chopping onions, how long do you really need to show the act of chopping onions on the screen for your audience to understand that you’re chopping an onion?
It doesn’t matter how breathtaking this shot is of chopping onions, if it takes too long to get to the next shot, your audience has already scrolled on to the next video.
This may mean planning your shot, doing a practice run, or shooting it multiple times to capture the essence of what’s happening in as little time as possible.
Now I’m not saying every single shot has to be short and sweet, but it does have to fit in with the pace of your video.
The pace is controlled by your energy – if it’s a talking piece, the music, and the subject of the video. If you’re filming sport with lots of action, faster cuts would align with the energy and help the video to flow. Whereas if you’re filming how-to videos of delicate beading techniques, slower-paced cuts are probably more appropriate.
So to sum it all up…
- Talk about your video and create a shot list
- Think about the edit as you film
- What angles can you use to show your viewer the world in a way they can’t ordinarily see
- Ask yourself how can you tell the story of each clip in as little time as possible, and most importantly;
- Experiment! Have fun with it
Are you ready to experiment with some B-roll?
If you’d like to take control of your camera, or you’re thinking of buying one, check this three-part series on learning the basics of shooting on manual mode: