As a YouTuber, you may be wondering what you can do to give your work a more cinematic look. Sure, using main footage like walk-and-talk shots and medium shots can get the point across for your videos. However, does it help create that extra level of ambiance that you’re looking for?
That is where b-roll comes in. Not only can b-roll evoke emotion, but it can also help hide editing evidence and enhance production value.
Keep reading to learn what b-roll is and how it can benefit you as a YouTuber.
What Is B-Roll?
B-roll is secondary footage that compliments the main footage, also called a-roll. It is used to give different perspectives of a video and help viewers become more immersed. Visually, it looks like cutaway shots—though, it should be seamless and non-distracting.
Imagine watching a video of a man talking about a woodworking project. You would get bored if it was only him talking to the camera.
Now imagine there is b-roll of him working on the project and the aftermath of sawdust on the shop floor. Overlapping this b-roll onto the main footage while the audio is still playing will give the video some character while keeping viewers engaged.
Why YouTubers Should Use B-Roll
Photo from pexels; no attribution
https://www.pexels.com/photo/anonymous-person-photographing-city-with-smartphone-5225072/
B-roll isn’t just for the big film industries. If your goal is tobecome a YouTuber, understanding b-roll is essential.
You can use b-roll in several aspects of the video-making process, and you’ll look like a pro while you’re at it.
Hides Edits
During the editing process, there will be clumsy transitions that are hard to ignore. Even more, sometimes it’s challenging to create a perfect cut when the main footage has imperfections.
B-roll acts as a secret band-aid. It gives the editor the opportunity to seamlessly cover up those mistakes while still keeping the audio of either the main footage or the music connecting the two film rolls.
Helps Pace the Video
Storytelling is an important aspect of many YouTube videos, and b-roll has a place within the process. Many times, part of the storyline is a transition from one scene to the next.
Think of your favorite tv show when there are those moments between scenes. A clip of the outside of a coffee shop or some people walking down a street is shown to give a sense of time and place.
Likewise, you could incorporate apre-made transition from your editing softwarebetween the scenes. However, it may come off as a little too fast-paced. If you add b-roll within the transition, it can slow down the scene shift and allow the viewers to catch up.
Provides Visual Aid
YouTube is all about visuals, and understanding how to incorporate visuals can make your videos go from good to great. Like the example above about the man and his woodworking project, b-roll can help to give your viewers more imaging for what the video is about.
Even if the video isn’t about a physical thing, b-roll can help viewers identify the emotions of the video.
For example, if a narrator is explaining that they’re having a bad day, a few b-roll shots of them walking around kicking small rocks and staring in the distance in a somber mood will help the audience feel what the narrator is feeling.
Gives Flexibility During Editing
Editing not going quite the way you planned? Having b-roll at your disposal will allow you to make changes during your video editing process.
Your a-roll footage may have been from a camera sitting on a tripod. However, the wind knocked it over, but lucky you, the audio is still usable. Adding some b-roll over that footage will allow you to salvage what you can from your a-roll while incorporating another viewpoint for your viewers.
Types of YouTube Videos That Benefit From B-Roll
Black and White Recording of Hallway
https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-turned-on-android-smartphone-116366/
There are so many genres of YouTube videos out there, and most of them have a use for b-roll.
You can film it yourself with your camera, or you canuse already curated stock footage. Whichever style you go for, it will surely help your type of content.
Narratives
If you have a vlog or any other YouTube channel that follows any type of storyline, b-roll can help to visualize it. Instead of telling viewers that there is an awesome view behind you, you can show them with b-roll.
How-To Tutorials
Many how-to tutorials require the use of multiple camera angles for the viewer to understand the whole of the instruction.
If you are able, having two or more cameras can allow you to set up a main camera that will also be the main audio—the other camera can be used for b-roll giving you different perspectives for the tutorial.
Product Reviews
You wouldn’t want to watch a video of someone talking about a product, and they’re just holding it the whole time. That doesn’t allow you to actually see the item beyond the reviewer.
Having b-roll of your product review gives you the opportunity to show close demonstrations of specific features and exhibit any details you deem worthy—and your viewers will thank you for it.
Music Videos
Consider a music video with a rad guitar solo. Wouldn’t it be cool to have close-up footage of the artist’s fingers playing the strings? That would be b-roll.
Many times, b-roll is usually incorporated into music videos to help drive the storyline. It can be anything from the scenario above to transitions between the artists singing and b-roll showing the story that they’re singing about.
Unboxing Videos
Unboxing videos are extremely popular. Think of when the newest iPhone or Android phone is coming out and how so many people just want to see what it looks like. Well, b-roll is needed for those closer looks that people are wanting.
Don’t skimp on the audience’s viewing experience. Giving them a secondary look at what you’re showing them will have them coming back to your videos for more unboxing events.
When Not to Use B-Roll
There are moments in video making when using b-roll isn’t the best decision. If your content has a primary focus, sometimes using b-roll can become a distraction and cause your audience to become a bit confused about the message of the video.
Additionally, if your video has a lot of information, and you’re under time constraints, adding b-roll for aesthetics can become inefficient.
Often, b-roll does have a place in video making, but it’s important to know when and where it is appropriate.
Start Using B-Roll to Enhance Your YouTube Videos
B-roll can be fun to use and applying it to videos can make you feel like a filmmaking pro—whether you’re trying to conjure up emotion or help move the story along a bit.
When you’re editing your next YouTube video, see if you can find a way to integrate b-roll into it.
