B-roll is the supporting footage that gives your story texture. The good news: a handful of deliberate movements can carry an entire edit.
011. The slow push-in
Move steadily toward your subject over 4–6 seconds. It signals importance and draws the viewer in.
022. The reveal
Start behind a foreground object — a door frame, a plant — and slide past it to reveal the scene.
033. Detail inserts
Hands, textures, steam rising from coffee. Shoot tight, at a wide aperture, and hold for at least five seconds.
044. Parallax slide
Move sideways with something in the foreground. The difference in movement speed creates instant depth.
055. The locked-off wide
Sometimes the most cinematic choice is not moving at all. Let the world move through a static frame.
06Settings to start with
Shoot 24fps with a 1/50s shutter for natural motion blur, or 60fps for smooth slow motion. Lock your white balance so shots match in the edit.
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Written by
Daniel Reyes
Independent cinematographer and colourist who has shot short films, music videos and brand documentaries. Daniel leads our videography coverage.
