In the last episode we spoke about how to shoot an interview. Most videos will need some form of B-Roll to layer over the interview and that is what we are going to talk about in this video.
Welcome to The Film Look and episode 5 of the Video Production Guide.
Capturing B-Roll can be done in many different ways, but it will also depend on the type of kit you can afford, and don’t worry if you can not afford the best equipment now. Concentrate on the equipment you do own and make as much money with it as you can.
But if you have a slider, use a slider, if your client needs a drone shot price for a drone shot, but remember if you only have a camera and a tripod, a well composed shot always trumps the fancy ones.
B-Roll doesn’t just help you shape the interview or voice over into a story, it also helps you hide the cuts you’ve made to the footage. B roll will hide the unnecessary answers, pauses, ums and errs.
By using some audio transitions you can blend the audio cuts together and prevent the sound from popping.
There are loads of different techniques when it comes to capturing B-Roll, but each shot needs to represent what your client is trying to sell, offer, or promote.
Slider
Clients love slider shots as the clean movement turns a boring conference room into something more interesting. With some distance between the background and subject, you can create a parallax sliding effect, which can really enhance the shot of a product or piece of art. We have a video all about how to use a slider on our channel.
Drone
In the last couple of years drone shots have become the new slider shots. Just like slider shots, they can be overused and 95% of jobs usually don’t need them. Unless you have a passion for flying drones, budget in for a professional who already has their wings. It will save you time and money, as getting a drone pilot's licence is expensive and time consuming. If the client is asking for a drone simply because it looks cool, let them know a solid story is always the better option. It’s not all about the fancy shots.
Handheld
Handheld shots can help you move quickly, and create dynamic shots. The cliche video production handheld shot is to follow your subject walking. [Shots from Projects]
When shooting a busy event there is never really a safe space to setup a tripod, so handheld is definitely the way to go. Using a shoulder rig will allow you to move around freely, and combining that with a monopod will give you the chance to also capture static shots. [Shots from Projects and equipment set up shot]
Slowmo
Slow motion is great to shoot in if the subject in the frame is moving. Clients love it and it’s really easy to do. Just adjust your settings from 24 fps to, for example 60, and double your shutter speed from 1/50 to 1/100. Then you can half the speed of the footage in your editor.
In episode 2 of this guide we spoke about preparing a shot list and storyboards before the shooting day.
Use this on the day and tick off everything you wrote down as you don’t want to miss something your client asked you to capture.
Take your time when capturing the B-Roll. At first it may seem like it’s less important than any other footage, but the quality of your b roll will make or break the final video. Be patient, and do multiple takes if necessary.
Don’t Over shoot
When you start to shoot videos you will have the tendency to overshoot, it’s not a bad thing but you will start to realise the more you shoot, the more time you’ll be sorting through the footage, and the more storage space you will need.
If the final video length needs to be 2 minutes you don’t need to shoot an hours worth of B-Roll shots.
Whatever tools and techniques you use to capture your b-roll shots, remember that every shot needs to help you tell a story. Practice makes perfect, and eventually you will be able to turn up at a location and know exactly what will look good because you’ve likely shot somewhere like this before.
And remember to enjoy it! It might feel stressful to begin with, but just remember to take your time and enjoy yourself.
The Video Production Guide is a step by step series teaching you the basics of shooting videos for clients.
Episodes released Weekly:
Want to make videos for a client: https://youtu.be/bBkQpobfAjU
How to get the job: https://youtu.be/A1-09ESSZew
How much to charge: https://youtu.be/3Djuh-xTL6Y
Preparing for a client shoot: https://youtu.be/sDbbKaaPjc4
How to shoot an interview: https://youtu.be/8TRdmj0Ao4k
Shooting b-roll: https://youtu.be/RYc2y_dsexI
Editing and Feedback: https://youtu.be/ipMmMp-241o
The Client Video: https://youtu.be/X9VZTuxvT9w
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