An interview video with a person talking to or off camera can be boring. It can feel static and repetitive. The person answers a question, then another question, then another.
The viewer is left just staring at the person’s face for the entire video, which can become tiresome and boring, especially if the interview video is long.
This is especially true if the interview is about a complex or technical topic, as the viewer may have trouble following along if they aren’t able to see what the interviewee is talking about.
This type of video may also be difficult to edit, if the person doesn’t answer a question well, or if there are a few mistakes, the editor may have to cut out the entire section of the interview. This can make the video choppy and disjointed.
B-roll or Cutaways is extra footage that can be used to add a layer of visual interest to an interview.
For example, if the interviewee is talking about the work they do, we could see footage of them at work, it could be at their desk, in a meeting, in a factory, in a workshop whatever is relevant to them.
If the interviewee is talking about a technical concept or explaining a process, perhaps we could see someone running a demonstration of the concept or some 2D or 3D animation to really illustrate the points being made more visually.
B-Roll can be a valuable tool for enhancing an interview video. It can make a video more visually appealing, keep the viewer engaged, and help them get a better understanding of points being made.
So next time you’re planning to make a video and you’re thinking “should I use B-Roll in my interview video?” The answer is always, Yes, yes you should.