10 Ways to Add B-Roll That Doesn’t Look Generic

Reviewed by:  Ayush Sharma

Written by:  Kailash Kumar

Credits: Canva

Video Editor

White Frame Corner

Match the Story’s Emotion

Don’t just match visuals, match emotion. Choose B-roll that reflects the mood and tone of your story to keep viewers emotionally connected and immersed.

Credits: Canva

Shoot Custom Footage

Record your own B-roll when possible. Even simple phone clips look more natural and less overused than common stock footage floating around the internet.

Credits: Canva

Add Behind-the-Scenes Shots

Include setup shots, crew interactions, or outtakes to show real moments. It gives your video personality and breaks the polished feel of generic B-roll.

Credits: Canva

Use Motion Graphics Sparingly

Add light motion graphics like icons or titles to give your B-roll extra depth without distracting from the main message or cluttering the frame.

Credits: Canva

Focus on Hands, Tools, or Objects

Show close-ups of hands working, tools in use, or objects being handled. These natural details often tell more story than wide scenic shots.

Credits: Canva

Show Reactions or Micro-Expressions

Facial reactions like smiles, nods, or raised brows humanize your content. Use them as cutaways to keep the B-roll real, not robotic.

Credits: Canva

Repurpose B-Roll from Other Edits

Reuse old clips creatively, crop them, reverse them, or apply new color grading to refresh the footage without re-shooting.

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Cut Long-Form Content into Shorts

Use ai tool like quickreel to trim long videos into short clips with quick B-roll inserts. It's efficient, engaging, and a great way to reuse content across platforms.

Credits: Canva

Include User-Generated Clips

Invite customers or users to share video clips. Real-life moments shot on phones feel more personal than overused stock footage.

Credits: Canva

Shoot B-Roll with Movement

Add slow camera pans, tilts, or handheld motion to make your B-roll dynamic. It beats static tripod shots that often feel staged.

Credits: Canva

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