B-roll can make or break a video production. Although it seems simple to create video to fill the gaps, it certainly shouldn't be filler. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how to create great, cinematic-looking b-roll.
When you take on a video project, you will have key shots that you need to get, but then between them, there needs to be something too. Sometimes these in-between clips are used to help tell the story, sometimes they are used to transition, and sometimes they are simply there to flesh out a motif. Whatever their purpose, they shouldn't be an afterthought if you want a high-end final product.
In this video, videographer and YouTuber, Thomas Alex Norman, takes you through a travel-style shoot he did in his hometown of Barcelona. Norman's work is excellent, which gives him some authority on the subject, but his behind-the-scenes videos — of which there are many — are even better. His work doesn't require a top-of-the-range RED camera and 5 different anamorphic lenses, in fact, many of his shots are taken with small mirrorless bodies and handheld.
If you're looking to improve your videography, there are many ways to do it, but b-roll should be on your list. I have discussed my favorite filmmaker several times, but Edgar Wright is the master of using b-roll to its maximum potential, not leaning on lazy cliches, and it makes the world of difference.
