Tips For Capturing Broll Footage
Make It Unique.
After all, that’s the goal right? B-roll is the magic that makes a video edit come to life (at least in my opinion). One thing I’ve learned after years of shooting and editing, is that if you don’t have enough b-roll to help transition from one part of the story to the next, or add a bit of interesting visuals, then your fillm can fall flat. So what are some tips to shooting b-roll footage? Here are some of my key do’s and don’ts below .
DO: Get lots of different angles and focal lengths when shooting b-roll. For example, if you’re shooting some b-roll of the trees, try to get some close up, zoomed in footage and rack your focus, but then also shoot at a wider focal length and maybe do some pans. This visual jump from wide to long will keep things interesting.
DON’T: Get a static shot on an object that isn’t moving. If you’re not moving the camera and the object isn’t moving, then you’re basically just taking a series of stills, lol. They key to remember here is that if the object is stationary, your camera movements will help bring it to life (such as a pan or tilt). However, if there is movement in the shot (such as leaves blowing in the wind or someone walking past a window or doorframe), a static shot (meaning your camera is stays still) can work really well. I like to do a few different camera movements to give myself options.
DO: Be sure to shoot at a higher frame rate so you can slow your footage down later on. I find that the most interesting b-roll in films are shot in slow motion. So shooting at 60fps or higher will give you the option to slow it down later (if you’re editing in 24 fps for example),
DON’T: Forget to put your camera back on 24fps when shooting anything with audio (such as an interview session or wedding ceremony). The amount of times I almost forgot to switch my camera back to a cinematic frame rate after shooting b-roll is too many to count. So don’t make the same mistake I have. You’ll want that footage at 24fps to sync with audio!
DO: Remember to have fun with it! B-roll is my absolute favorite thing to shoot because you can get really creative. Shooting through glass or other objects is a great way to add a bit of mystery to the shot. Another dynamic visual technique is to pan by something close-up in the foreground and then rack focus to the subject in the background.
DON’T: Get too in your head about the shots you’re getting for b-roll. My rule of thumb is to keep moving. Try not to stay on one object or scene for too long (unless it’s part of the shot of course). If you keep moving and trying new things, you’ll discover unique and interesting ways to shoot b-roll.