B-roll
B-roll is supporting footage used alongside a video’s main action or interview. It adds context, shows details and can cover edits while the main story continues.
B-roll gives viewers something relevant to see beyond the main shot. In an interview about a bakery, the interview is A-roll; close-ups of dough, ovens and the shop are B-roll. In a software walkthrough, it might be a screen recording that shows the action being described. Adobe’s B-roll guide describes this supporting role across narrative and documentary work.
What counts as B-roll?
- Filmed cutaways: hands using a product, a workspace, a location or a close-up of a relevant detail.
- Screen recordings: the actual interface, feature or workflow discussed by the speaker.
- Stock or archival material: licensed footage that establishes a setting or supplies context.
- Graphic inserts: charts, diagrams and animated text can serve the same supporting role in an explainer, although editors may label them graphics rather than footage.
The role matters more than the file type. A product shot is A-roll when it carries the main demonstration and B-roll when it illustrates an interview. B-roll can have its own sound; continuing the speaker’s audio underneath it is a common editing choice, not a requirement.
Motion graphics as supporting visuals
A speaker explaining compound interest can be supported by a chart showing how a balance grows. In this iArt example, the presenter is an AI avatar used as sample footage. The graphics illustrate the explanation while the voice continues.
How to choose B-roll for a video
- Mark the ideas that need a picture. Look for an object, place, action, number or process the viewer needs to understand.
- Choose the most specific visual. Show your actual interface for a feature; use a chart for a numerical comparison. A generic office shot cannot demonstrate either.
- Match the insert to the sentence. Start when its subject becomes relevant and leave enough time to read or understand it.
- Watch the complete edit. Keep the main story intelligible and return to the speaker where their expression or delivery matters. Check labels and figures against the original material.
For graphics built around a recording, start with the AI B-roll generator. For specific visual choices and examples, see B-roll ideas for talking head videos.
B-roll vs. related terms
A-roll carries the main action or narrative. A cutaway is a shot away from that action, often supplied by B-roll. A lower third identifies a person or subject; adding one does not turn the entire shot into B-roll.
Related: talking head video, motion graphics, explainer video.