What is B-roll?
B-roll is the secondary footage you cut over your main shot to show what's being talked about. Here's what it is and how to use it well in short clips.
In this article
The short definition
B-roll is supplementary footage layered over your main video — the 'A-roll' — to illustrate or reinforce what's being said. If a speaker mentions a product, a clip of that product is B-roll. It cuts away from the talking head to keep the visuals moving and show, rather than just tell.
Why B-roll matters
On short-form especially, a static talking head loses attention. B-roll adds visual variety, illustrates the point, and hides cuts — when you trim a sentence out, a B-roll cutaway covers the jump so the edit feels seamless. It's one of the simplest ways to make a clip feel produced rather than raw.
Where B-roll comes from
Traditionally you shoot or source it separately — stock clips, screen recordings, product shots. AI tools can now suggest and insert relevant B-roll automatically based on what's being said, which removes the biggest barrier: finding the right clip at the right moment.
How to use it well
Keep B-roll relevant and brief — a cutaway should support the words, not distract from them. Return to the speaker for emphasis. Don't paper over the whole clip with stock footage; the face and voice are usually what carry a short-form clip.
FAQ
What is B-roll?
Supplementary footage cut over your main video to illustrate what's being said — like a product shot over a speaker mentioning that product. The main footage is called A-roll.
Why is B-roll important?
It adds visual variety, illustrates points, and hides cuts so edits feel seamless — which keeps attention, especially in short-form.
Can AI add B-roll automatically?
Yes. Tools like FrameOS can suggest and insert relevant B-roll based on the transcript, so you don't have to source each clip by hand.
What's the difference between A-roll and B-roll?
A-roll is your primary footage (usually the speaker); B-roll is the secondary footage cut over it to illustrate or cover edits.