What is A-Roll and B-Roll Video Footage [ANSWERED]

A-Roll

In video production the A-roll footage is the primary video footage that is shot.

B-Roll

In video production the B-roll footage is the secondary video footage that is shot outside of the primary footage. In other terms it is the supplementary footage.

Example

An example of this might be if a your filming a band on stage, the primary footage and the one that is most important is the band on the stage, this needs to be perfect. The B-Roll footage would be any supplementary footage that was filmed for example people queueing outside to come in, crowed shots and so on.

The B-Roll footage is often as important as the A-Roll. If the above example was been broadcast to TV or made into a video then you would often expect to see other shots other than just the band, you would see the crowed and the people outside, and a few other shots from around the venue.

If you were to just show the A-roll it could make a very uninteresting video, when you add all the other clips it brings the video to life.