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Alright, alright, alright.
My name is Elliot Rosen with StudioBinder.
And if you've ever wondered what is B-Roll
and how do you shoot it
then this is a video for you.
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I'm going to show you 3 Pro tips on how to shoot amazing B-roll.
Plan it.
Work smart not hard.
And maximize your time.
Before we begin, don't forget to hit that subscribe button
and click that bell icon to stay in the loop.
All right, so let's rewind the clock.
Back in the old days,
filmmakers use two separate rolls of film.
One was labeled "A."
And one was labeled "B."
A-Roll can be considered your main story or subject.
And then B-Roll is everything that you cut away to
that bridges the gaps in your story.
B-Roll can hide mistakes or jump cuts in the A-Roll.
It visually tells your story.
And if you're clever,
B-Roll can be a visual motif used to enhance your story.
Depending on your shoot, B-Roll is typically shot M.O.S.
which is just a fancy film school term for "No sound."
Documentaries often use B-Roll as coverage
when it gets boring looking at the same dude drone on all day,
they cover it with b-roll to keep it interesting.
Now on the other hand a narrative film
might use b-roll for a different reason.
To enhance their script.
"- Hello. I'm here.
- Hi."
Take this example from Spike Jones's cyber romance film "Her."
In this story, the main character has fallen in love with his Siri.
"- Last night was amazing.
I feels like something...
changed in me and there's no turning back.
You woke me up."
She's evolving too fast,
and they're starting to drift apart.
"- Are you leaving me?
- We're all leaving."
When she starts to explain what's going on with her they cut to...
This B-Roll shot.
This B-Roll shot is used intentionally
to visually symbolize
how her consciousness is as intangible
as that dust clinging to the wall.
Siri, will you date me?
- I don't really date humans.
- If you're an indie filmmaker, here is my first tip.
Plan it.
Figure out the what, when and how beforehand.
We're going to use StudioBinder's production software
to organize our B-Roll shots.
Elements such as...
Actors.
Props.
Camera.
Movement.
The list goes on.
Tip number two.
Work smart not hard.
Professional films rarely ever shoot in chronological order
and neither should you.
Does your b-roll shot involve an actor?
Well, actors usually have really tight schedule
so you'll want to get that first.
If you're limited on time
don't go across town to grab a B-Roll shot.
Shoot it in your immediate surroundings.
Got a lunch break?
Sounds like a great opportunity to get your time-lapse shot.
Those are some really simple tips
that aren't going to add any extra time to your shoot.
Tip number three.
Maximize your time.
Use cinematic techniques like shallow depth-of-field.
Slow-mo.
And gimbals to get the most out of your B-Roll shots.
These techniques not only give you amazing cinematic footage,
but they're also really time effective.
If you shoot your B-Roll in a shallow depth of field like f 1.4.,
it blurs any distracting elements in the background
and you get that beautiful cinematic background.
Shoot in slow-mo framerates,
like 60 or 120 frames per second
to turn one second of footage into three seconds.
Try setting up your camera on a dolly or gimbal beforehand,
so you can get that cinematic camera motion.
You can always choose to keep the camera static
but it's good to keep your options open.
Okay, let's take an example.
Let's say you have a script with a line of dialogue
that reads I buried her under that tree.
It's probably a great time to cut to
you guessed it b-roll.
So I'm going to mark it down in my shot list.
And depending on how you shoot your B-Roll shot,
it can have a totally different meaning.
Let's say you want to make it seem
like something evil is buried underneath there.
I'll shoot this B-Roll shot in a low angle and dolly-in very quickly
to emphasize the importance of that specific spot.
But let's take a totally different stance on the same line of dialogue.
Let's say that was actually a sad heartfelt line
and I want the audience to perceive this tree
as a peaceful final resting place.
So instead, I'll shoot this B-Roll shot at eye level
and a wide-angle lens to catch that sun flare.
And then I'll add a little bit of dolly movement to give it some grace.
Both of these shots are B-Roll shots
recorded with the exact same equipment and camera settings,
but the shot specs are slightly different.
With just a little bit of upfront thought
and some minor adjustments to the shallows
they communicate totally different meanings for your story.
And I was able to shoot both of these shots
within one minute of each other
because I properly maximize my time.
So what are some of your favorite types of B-Roll shots?
How do you go about shooting them?
We love to hear from you, so let us know in the comments.
And if you're planning a shoot with some B-Roll shots,
you're probably going to want a shot list them, right?
Check out the description below
to sign up for StudioBinder is totally free to get started.
And don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel
and click the bell for notifications.
We have a ton of videos like this
and we love to show you some more.
And now let's cut away to some StudioBinder B-Roll.
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