How to Create Cinematic B-Roll Sequences

Cinematic B-roll is one of the best tools for giving your video a professional, engaging and visual look. Although the main shots tell the story of the film, B-roll shots give emotions, context, motion and atmosphere to it. With a well-thought B-roll shot sequence, you can turn an ordinary video into a professional and cinematic one.

Making cinematic B-roll shots is not just taking nice shots. Cinematic B-roll means selecting proper subjects, moving the camera in the right way, shooting in good lighting conditions, making various sizes of shots and cutting everything together properly. Regardless of whether you are shooting YouTube clips, travel films, documentaries, commercials, reels or short films, knowing how to make B-roll shot sequences will definitely be helpful for your editing.

What Is Cinematic B-Roll? 

B-roll is additional footage that complements the core footage or A-roll. If your core footage is of someone talking about a coffee shop, then B-roll footage will consist of shots like how the coffee is being made, exterior of the shop, coffee cup, people seated inside, and the surroundings.

Cinematic B-roll takes things one notch higher, where composition, light, motion, depth, and storytelling are taken into consideration. Rather than shooting random footages, you shoot a series of footages which complement each other in some way or another.

Your intention should be to make sure each shot is contributing something to your story. Just anything can be movie-like, such as opening a laptop, going into a room or even the setup of a camera.

Plan Your B-Roll Before Shooting :

A good B-roll begins before pressing the record button. First, you should know the context of the scene and be able to recognize what is essential to include in your footage – actions, location, props, emotions.

Imagine for example you are on a filmmaker's set doing some filming for a future production. Perhaps one should consider taking a few sequences of shots starting off with the filmmaker moving from say their changing room into the studio. After that would be the filmmaker mounting the camera on a stand then selecting the camera lens then placing the camera in position, turning it on, dialling in the necessary settings then beginning to shoot

Then you have a certain sequence that will be understood by the viewer without having to verbally explain the sequence.

Before filming your B-roll, create an easy shot list, either mental or written down. Just try to think through how your B-roll sequence will start, proceed, and end.

Capture Different Shot Sizes :

The first mistake is capturing all the shots in the same distance. In professional B-rolls, it is common practice to have wide, medium, close-up and detail shots.

A wide shot will help you define the setting. Medium shots will help you show how the main subject interacts with his/her surroundings. Close-up shots will emphasize some action and the detail shots will capture small visual elements like buttons, hands, textures, reflection and so on.

For instance, if you are shooting a person editing video, begin with a wide shot of the desk where the person is editing, then proceed with medium shots of the person editing and then take a close-up of the keyboard, mouse and/or monitor. The last element would be small details, like fingers hitting the buttons on the keyboard.

This will create variety.

Use Camera Movement Carefully :

B-roll can be made interesting with camera moves, but they should be done on purpose. Slow push-ins, pull outs, slides, pans, tilts and tracking shots can lend a more film-like feel to camera moves.

A slow push in can highlight an important subject. A tracking shot can be used to follow a subject moving around. A side-to-side move can unveil the environment slowly.

Do not just move the camera because you can do so. Overuse of movements can distract viewers and may be difficult to edit. Movements that are smooth tend to be the best when creating cinematic moves.

When you are shooting handheld, ensure that you move the camera in a slow and controlled way. Use stabilization equipment or lens stabilization whenever possible.

Pay Attention to Composition :

B-roll shots in films are a key part of composing. Rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry, foreground, and negative spaces are just some of the ways through which one can make sure that the shots have good composition.

There are leading lines in nature surrounding us that we can utilize. This includes roads, tables, buildings, walls, or even shadows, which will guide the viewer’s eyes towards the subject.

Foreground items can also be used for adding depth. Rather than filming the subject with nothing lying between the camera and the background, the footage should be filmed with plants, doorways, equipment, and other foreground items.

Use Lighting to Create Atmosphere :

Lighting has the power to totally alter the atmosphere in your B-Roll shots. Window lighting will create softness in your shots, while directional lighting will add some dramatic shadows.

Never depend on your flat overhead lighting to give you a cinematic feel. Find creative light sources like windows, practical lights, neon lights, street lights, and even light coming through objects.

In the case of outside shooting, the early mornings and late afternoons offer you soft and attractive lighting.

Shoot in Slow Motion When Appropriate :

Slowing things down can give even mundane actions a sense of drama. The act of pouring a cup of coffee, walking, opening a door, turning a camera knob, or moving within a particular setting can be turned into visually fascinating actions.

But slow-motion should aid in storytelling and not be an effect to be applied everywhere. Everything becoming slow will take away the natural rhythm of the sequence.

Apply slow-motion selectively to scenes that need to be highlighted.

Create Visual Continuity :

There needs to be some kind of connection between shots in a film B-roll.Think about the direction of motion, positioning of the subjects, lighting and continuity of action.

In other words, when you have a scene where a person moves from left to right, it would be logical to have the same motion in the next shot. It could also be logical if you start with a person stretching out his arm to reach something, then the next shot would follow suit.

The continuity of film can be achieved via colors, lighting, motions or even subjects.

Edit B-Roll With Purpose

Use Color Grading Consistently  :

Color grading can help give you a cohesive look throughout your video. In case your B-roll came from different places, making your videos have similar color correction will make the clips look like they came from the same production.

Correcting the exposure and white balance is the first step in color grading. TThe next step is to adjust the contrast, highlights and shadows, saturation and other parameters to obtain the desired result.

If you are striving for “movie feel,” then don't go overboard with the color. In some cases, a natural looking picture with a well contrasted image and good skin tones will suffice.

Add Sound Design :

Great B-roll is not only visual. Sound design can make the sequence feel much more immersive.

Record natural sounds while shooting whenever possible. Keyboard clicks, camera buttons, footsteps, doors opening, coffee pouring, traffic, room ambience, and other environmental sounds can add realism.

During editing, layer these sounds beneath the music or dialogue. Small sound effects can make simple visuals feel more physical and engaging.

B-Roll Shot Planning Table

Common B-Roll Mistakes to Avoid ;

Recording too little footage is another common mistake. While editing, you might find out that you need more angles to make nice transitions. Recording more footage gives you a choice.

Too many unnecessary camera moves are also a common mistake. Cinematic footage does not mean that you have to move your camera all the time. Sometimes, a locked-off shot with great composition will win over a complicated camera move.

Mistakes like poor lighting, inconsistent white balance, shaking footage, repetition in frames, and unrelated B-roll also affect the professional level of the final video.

It is also essential not to depend on slow motion, transitions, or visual effects alone. The quality of cinema is primarily a blend of good storytelling, composition, lighting, cinematography, editing and sound.

Practical Example: Creating a Cinematic B-Roll Sequence :

Imagine that you are making a video about a video editor beginning a new project on YouTube.

Start with a wide shot of the setting. Switch to a medium shot of the editor sitting in front of the computer. Move into a close-up of the hand turning on the monitor. Next is the shot of the keyboard in detail. Show the editing timeline on the computer screen followed by an over-the-shoulder shot of the editor working.

Then you will need to make a slow push-in towards the monitor while the project starts. The audio track of keyboard and mouse actions must go under the music. And finally, end with a wide shot of the setting.

The whole sequence makes up a little story where no actions have to be narrated.

Final Thoughts :

A B roll sequence in film making goes beyond shooting an aesthetically pleasing image. High-quality B rolls not only help to tell a story but also help to add emotions to it and make the video look professional and appealing to the viewer's eye.

Consider your shots and try to shoot with various angles, movement of the camera, proper lighting and composition and record sounds. When it comes to editing, choose the clips which serve a certain purpose and maintain visual consistency through the whole sequence.

A seemingly boring shot of a table may become an exciting one through practice. First, shoot simple B roll sequences with wide, medium, close-up and detail shots. Once you become proficient in the skill, you may experiment with camera moves, slow motion, composition, sound and color correction.