The Importance Of B-Roll
B-Roll is a vital element to the storyline of your production, B-Roll are shots that are woven together with main or original content to add visually to the narrative of the production. It is always important to get as much B-Roll as you can while on location, because you wont know if you will need it until the editing process has started. And by then it may be too late to get the additional content.
When creating your own project, you sometimes can work around not having the shots you need (your project will suffer though). But when working on something for a client, it's a different story all together.
Directors and clients will change their minds, it's just the nature of the beast. When they do, and they will, you don't want to have to get everyone and everything together to go get alternate content. It doesn't sound like it, but it is a lot of organizing and work to get one or two different shots for your final cut. That is why it's always improtant to be prepared with B-Roll, because you never know.
"There is no such thing as too much B-Roll."
- Smart Film Makers
When you are filming, film everything that can be relatable to the project. Get multiple angles and different framings of one shot just in case. Even if at the time you think it may not be relevant, because again, you never know. While editing, something you didn't think you would need may work perfectly in your project.
Another helpful hint is to use your time in different locations that you may not be able to access again to gather stock B-Roll for your own personal use. Get as many shots as you can and organize them in a database that can be easily retrieved if it is ever needed. You will find that this little safety net can really help with projects that are very time sensitive, or if you do forget to get that B-Roll you needed.
So always remember the number one rule: