When making an instructional video, how do you decide what insert shots you need and which you don’t? And when do you need them in your video?
If I only give you information by talking in front of the camera and never cut away to b-roll shots, inserts, stills, graphics, I’m missing out on using this powerful medium. Talking is fine, that's what podcasts are but with video, why not use the medium?
So when is it a good idea to add b-roll, stills, and other visual media? Images that help illustrate and support your point.
First, let's clarify what is b-roll. Well, it’s not A-roll. For that matter, what is A-roll?
A-roll isn’t a term we regularly use. It denotes footage from your main camera, your A camera, the one you’re shooting you with. B-roll was an analog method of “cutting to” shots without having to splice the A-roll footage. Why? Well, back in the day, 16mm film cameras were the news gathering and interview cameras of their day and many recorded the audio directly onto the 16mm film via an optical track.
This meant you couldn’t cut the A-roll because video and audio were locked together. But if you ran a second roll of film, a B-roll, that was in sync with your A and that held the shots you wanted to cut away to, problem solved.
B-roll has become this catch-all phrase for footage inserted to complement the narration, in our case on-camera narration. Note that stills and graphics perform the same job so we’ll lump them in.
We can break b-roll into two types: specific and broad.
Specific
Specific is showing the object, the part, the step you’re talking about, and maybe the result it produces. The carrot and how to chop it properly, an insert shot of a part you’re describing. The color gel to put in front of a light and the effect it has. The menu in Premiere to select and what it does.
It’s clear-cut. It specifically illustrates what you’re talking about.
So when and how often is it needed? I mean do you need to show every single step? Like peeling the carrots before you chop them.
Keep this in mind: we’re complimenting the on-camera narration. You start there then you add visuals you think are needed to help the viewer see and understand your point, your instruction.
If you’re discussing a specific way to cut carrots, to julienne them, you probably don’t need to show the peeling. It’s implied. They’re already peeled.
But if you were making a video about carrots for an audience that has never done anything with a carrot before, you may need to show them how to not only cut but also clean and peel, those carrots.
So it depends on who your audience is and what they need to get. To understand the instruction you’re giving verbally. Add just enough to compliment the narration so your instructions are clear.
Broad
Broad b-roll is well, less tangible. You’re discussing an idea, conveying a concept with words that the viewer would have to visualize unless you illustrate the concept for them. Like that people need healthy food like carrots to give them the energy to work, walk, live, be healthy.
I don’t have to show someone eating and then working but it helps illustrate the concept. It also keeps the viewer engaged and entertained while conveying context and your branding, How you differentiate your videos from everyone else. These choices of shots can convey your perspective and aesthetic. Slick and beautiful. Rough and natural. Whatever it is that your audience would identify with, that speaks to them.
How to Decide
So how do you figure out what b-roll you need and don’t? I find it’s helpful to initially answer these questions when you write your script.
I start by writing my on-camera dialogue and if I have an idea of something I want to show, that immediately pops in my head, I’ll write it in parentheses for now.
After I’m happy with my dialogue, I put it into an A/V script format.
Here I put the dialogue in the left column, and what I plan to show visually with the dialogue in the right. If I had any b-roll idea in parentheses I move it there. I try to make each row a paragraph. One thought or idea if I can.
Now I reread the script and add b-roll shots I think should accompany my dialogue. That will illustrate to the viewer specific steps or broad concepts.
If I’m describing how healthy carrots are, for example, that’s a good time to show a current food nutritional chart, pointing out where carrots are on it.
That image gives visual context to the viewer. They don’t have to imagine it.
Now, it’s ok if you don’t know all the b-roll you need before shooting your on camera. I rarely do and end up shooting a bunch while I’m editing, as I see the need. Like for some slow-mo carrots.
It’s only an issue if the b-roll you need is location-specific or can only be shot at one time say during an event or when you have access to someone or someplace.
They Don’t Know What You Know
Did you leave out something that will confuse the viewer? Are you leaving them with an unanswered question that stops them from moving on? Since it’s a video, they can’t raise their hand to say “Excuse me, I’m confused.”
We’ve found it’s important to get feedback on your script if you can and especially on the first edit of your video to uncover any issues.
People don’t know what you know and it’s easy to leave out an important step or gloss over something that seems trivial or obvious to you.
We see this in videos on editing and other software where they mention working in an obscure section but forget to show you how they got there. For example, this little carrot in Premiere that displays the Audio Effects and Inserts panel. We always show that carrot.
So that’s part 1 on the concept of adding b-roll. I working on a follow-up, part 2, on tricks to shoot b-roll.