How To Use B-Roll In Post Production

So, your client wants the edit to have more energy. What’s an editor to do? You’ve painstakingly selected all of the best takes, added in your best music track, worked to make the pacing awesome, cut it down to the essential messaging, but the client’s still wanting more. The answer is often b-roll.

B-roll is an antiquated term from the linear editing days. A-roll was the footage acquired of the actual subject matter. Then you cut in your b-roll to support the story.

And that’s exactly what b-roll is meant to serve – supporting the a-roll story.

Where to begin? First take out a subscription with Getty Images, Istock Photo (owned by the same parent company) or Adobe Stock. Pricing packages vary. But you want “royalty free” content, so that you avoid having to repay the owner beyond the first licensing fee.

Next, consider the story and begin to put together a light-box of possible clips for your specific edit and theme. Then download the watermarked, low res, free versions of the clips you like, edit them into the video and share them with the client. That way, if your b-roll selects are rejected, you’ve lost nothing but some time.

Once your edit is approved, license the clips and download the high-res, non-watermarked versions for a final.

For all of your a- and b-roll video production needs, contact Capitola Media.