A still image of a soft seating area in the library. This is an example of the type of b-roll footage you could record and use.
Library, Museums and Press Staff
May 13, 2024

Tips on How to Capture B-Roll Footage 

This post originally appeared in the Multimedia Tips and Tricks blog (SMDC), which was reorganized into Research Tech Tips as of September 2025. The services described in this article are still available through the Research Data and Design Commons (RDDC).

 

Text and video by Kyle Krieger, Student Multimedia Design Center

 

When watching a piece of media, you may notice background footage being played along with a voiceover, or a situational video clip that appears between scenes of a movie. This is called b-roll, and it is an essential part of a variety of video productions.

B-roll footage allows for transitioning seamlessly between scenes, supporting background footage of a documentary or news package, and more! The video below provides advice on how to obtain and use b-roll to improve your video projects.

 

At the Student Multimedia Design Center (SMDC) in Morris Library, you can obtain cameras and other equipment to capture b-roll footage, in addition to using the editing software in the studios to put your project together. Stop by and check out what equipment and services the SMDC has to offer!

Credits: The music used in the video is “Complicated Situation” by Julia Kladniew found in the Corporate Music package from AudioHero.com. Additional b-roll footage obtained from pixabay.com.