B-roll
B-roll is the extra footage that plays over or between your main shot while your voice carries on, such as your hands at work, the room you're talking about or the street outside.
Why it matters when you post for yourself
The main shot, usually you talking to camera, is the A-roll. B-roll is everything you cut away to. The names come from film and TV editing.
If you post talking-head videos, B-roll does three jobs. It shows what you're describing instead of only telling. It covers a cut, so a trimmed pause doesn't look like a jump. And it gives the eye something new, which helps people keep watching.
Example
A real estate agent films 40 seconds about a flat's kitchen. While she talks, B-roll shows the light through the window, the new tap and the view from the sink. Her voice runs straight through; only the picture changes.
Where it shows up in Postmosis
The video editor in Postmosis picks free stock B-roll for what you're saying and places it in the edit. When stock has nothing that fits, it can make an AI clip, up to 3 a day. See the video editor
Related terms
Try it
Common questions
Start my weekWhere can I get B-roll for free?
Film it yourself on your phone: your desk, your hands, your street, the place you work. Free stock libraries such as Pexels have general clips too.
How long should a B-roll clip be?
Long enough to see what it shows, usually a few seconds. Cut back to your face before people forget who's talking.
Is B-roll the same as stock footage?
No. B-roll is the job a clip does in your edit. Stock footage is one place to get it; your own phone is another.
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