Cameraman B-Roll Reminders.Pages

2015-16 Cameraman / B-roll Reminders:

1) Shoot B-roll before AND after your interview. Listen carefully during your interview. Make a mental note of all the things your interviewee talks about. These are the things you must get in your B-roll. Every B-roll clip must be relevant and appropriate for the sound bite or voiceover that it is associated with.

2) Get a variety of B-roll shots: a) WIDE to establish a setting, b) MEDIUM to establish characters, and c) CLOSE to show emotion and action. Proportionally, you should have fewer wide shots and more mediums and close ups. Make an effort to get close ups of faces. Close ups of hands are effective for activities such as playing a musical instrument or preparing food.

3) Use SHOT SEQUENCING when you shoot B-roll. Shot sequencing is a set of shots that work well together as a set. For example, if you are showing an artist painting a model you should start the sequence with a wide shot of the room with both the artist and model in the shot. This should be followed by a sequence of medium and close up shots alternating between the artist's perspective and the model and the canvas. This is how you tell a story visually. • Shooting a Sequence PBS Tutorial Series

4) B-roll AUDIO is extremely important and should never be erased from your story. a) If you must remove your B-roll audio because it is bad (static, noisy, etc...) you must replace it with something suitable. See #5 below. b) NAT (natural) Sound can greatly enhance your story. Remember, pictures without sound is very awkward.

5) Record 1 minute of NAT SOUND audio (on camera), with no talking. This will be used as audio patch material in situations where your normal audio track may be unusable. This is also a standard procedure at PBS.

6) B-roll clips should be static shots, meaning the camera should not move. Use a tripod to eliminate camera shake and do not use pans, tilts or zooms in your shots.

7) Frame your B-roll shots properly. Always keep the rule of 3rds in mind. The main focal point of the shot may not be a person but you still need to frame the focal point according the the rule of 3rds.

8) B-roll clips should be 10 to 15 seconds in length. Most B-roll clips are 2 to 4 seconds long, however, a little padding will help with editing. Additionally, 10 to 15 second shots gives the Editor a choice of the best part of the segment to use. Some action B-roll shots may be longer

9) Include padding in your action B-roll shots. If you are shooting a dog catching a frisbee be sure to extend the shot before and after the catch. If you don’t get this padding you need to shoot it again. B-roll is only good if it is usable. Think about what happens during editing.

10) Don't skimp on the B-roll. Get more than what you think you will need because B-roll should not take up much space on the hard drive, and if it is a one time event you will not get another chance to shoot it. Having more B-roll to choose from always gives your Editor more options. 2015-16

Cameraman / B-roll Checklist:

Shoot B-roll before AND after your interview. Shoot B-roll of what your interviewee talks about.

Get a variety of B-roll shots: wide, medium, close (more med. & close). Get faces & hands.

Use SHOT SEQUENCING to tell a visual story.

B-roll audio (NAT SOUND) is very important and should never be erased.

Record 1 minute of NAT SOUND to use as audio patch material.

Get STATIC shots. No pans, zooms or tilts. Use a tripod to eliminate camera shake.

Frame shots properly. Always adhere to the Rule of 3rds even with no people in the shot.

B-roll clips should be 10 to 15 seconds long. Shooting a particular action could be longer.

Include padding in your B-roll. Extend your B-roll before and after the main action.

Don’t skimp on the B-roll. More B-roll gives your Editor more options.