B roll that makes your videos feel expensive
The difference between amateur and pro is rarely the main shot. It is everything around it.
Shoot the details
Hands, jewelry, shoes, textures, city lights, smoke. Detail shots cut between performance takes and instantly raise production value.
Slow motion turns ordinary details into cinema. Shoot details at 60fps minimum.
The five shot method
For any location: wide, medium, close, detail, and movement. Five shots per setup gives you a full scene from anywhere.
Spend 15 minutes per location on b roll. It is the highest ROI time on set.
Build a library
Save every good b roll clip you shoot, tagged by mood and location. Future you will thank present you on every deadline edit.
Next step: on your next shoot, dedicate the last 30 minutes purely to detail and texture shots.
Shoot for the edit
Think in sequences while shooting b roll: wide to close, action to reaction. Editors need options, not random clips.
Log your b roll the same day. Unlabeled footage might as well not exist.
Your Monday action plan
On your next shoot, schedule 30 dedicated minutes for b roll. Set a timer and do not skip it.
Organize the clips by mood the same day. Future edits will thank you.
Sources and further reading
Sources were checked for this article. Tool features, prices and availability can change. Product claims are attributed to their publishers.
