When it comes to video production for business and marketing, B-roll is often underestimated—yet it’s the connective tissue that gives your story visual richness, depth, and professionalism. While A-roll may be the on-camera interviews or primary narrative footage, B-roll provides essential context, texture, and emotion. The quality of your B-roll can elevate your final production—or expose it as generic and uninspired.
As experienced video professionals at St Louis Video, we’ve seen the difference between passable and powerful B-roll, and we’ve developed strategies that ensure every frame works to support your message, engage your audience, and reinforce your brand identity.
What Makes B-Roll Effective?
At its core, effective B-roll does three things:
- Supports the Narrative – It enhances or illustrates what’s being said in your A-roll.
- Adds Visual Energy – It breaks up static shots and brings movement, texture, and variation.
- Reinforces the Brand – Every frame is an opportunity to reflect your company’s values, culture, and professionalism.
Strategies for Making B-Roll More Interesting
1. Shoot for Emotion, Not Just Coverage
B-roll shouldn’t be treated as filler. Avoid simply capturing “someone typing” or “people shaking hands.” Instead, focus on storytelling moments—expressions, reactions, small details that convey mood or meaning. Emotionally driven visuals resonate more deeply with viewers.
2. Use Cinematic Composition
Apply the same care to your B-roll as you would to your hero shots. Utilize leading lines, the rule of thirds, foreground/background layering, and negative space to give visual depth. Movement—whether it’s a gentle slider push or a purposeful handheld walk-through—adds a layer of energy and interest.
3. Light With Intention
Don’t rely solely on ambient lighting. Even B-roll benefits from intentional lighting setups. Use practical lights or simple modifiers to create contrast and sculpt the scene. If you’re shooting in an office, bounce a key light for a more polished look, or add a backlight to separate your subject from the background.
4. Incorporate Unique Angles and Perspectives
Get low, shoot overhead, move behind objects, or frame through windows and doorways. Interesting angles can create visual intrigue and help break the monotony of traditional business video tropes.
5. Use Movement to Your Advantage
Whether it’s camera movement (dolly, gimbal, drone) or subject movement (walking, working, interacting), dynamic motion brings your B-roll to life. Drone footage, for instance, can add cinematic scale even in simple office exterior shots.
6. Leverage Slow Motion or Speed Ramping
These techniques, when used purposefully, can add drama or highlight specific actions. Slow motion gives weight and emphasis to otherwise mundane activities. Just avoid overusing it—it should support the mood, not distract from it.
7. Capture Natural Sound and Texture
Sometimes, B-roll isn’t just about what you see. Capturing ambient sound (coffee machines, chatter, industrial noises) can enhance authenticity and later be layered into your final edit for realism and immersion.
8. Match B-roll to Script and Storyboards
Don’t wait until post-production to make B-roll decisions. Align it with your messaging and script. Plan ahead to capture visuals that directly reinforce key talking points or transitions in your final video.
Why Work with St Louis Video for Compelling B-Roll?
At St Louis Video, we understand that powerful B-roll is never an afterthought—it’s an integral part of strategic visual storytelling. As a full-service professional commercial photography and video production company, we have the tools, talent, and techniques to ensure your B-roll not only meets industry standards—but exceeds expectations.
With decades of experience since 1982, our creative crew and modern equipment ensure successful image acquisition in any environment—studio, on-location, or in the air. Our licensed drone pilots can fly both outdoors and indoors for shots that add scope and cinematic flair. Whether you need sleek office visuals, industrial workflows, or event environments captured with artistry, we deliver.
Our private studio setup is optimized for interview scenes and small productions with controlled lighting, while our editing and post-production experts ensure your B-roll is clean, color-graded, and seamlessly integrated into your larger project. We are fluent in all file types, styles of media, and editing software, and we incorporate AI-driven media enhancement to increase visual fidelity and performance.
We specialize in repurposing video and photo content across platforms—turning one shoot into multiple branded assets, driving greater ROI. Whether you’re collaborating with a creative agency or need a self-contained solution, St Louis Video supports every aspect of your production.
If you’re ready to transform your brand’s content with visuals that command attention and engage audiences, St Louis Video is your partner in professional video storytelling.
Contact us today to learn how we can customize your next production with engaging, purposeful B-roll that makes your message unforgettable.
St Louis Video & Photo 