B-roll

American  

[bee-rohl] / ˈbiˌroʊl /

noun

1. stock footage from film or digital libraries used to establish locale, atmosphere, etc., or to provide generic thematic video, such as for a category of television news story.

2. video footage shot for a story, television show, or film, often by a secondary film crew, especially depicting building exteriors and used to establish the locale in which a film or show is set.

   The actors all filmed in Toronto, but the show’s opening theme song played over B-roll of the New York skyline and a block of brownstones.

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Etymology

Origin of B-roll

First recorded in 1980–85; cf. A-roll ( def. )

Example Sentences

It showed B-roll shots of gleaming hospitals with futuristic-looking technology.

From Slate • Sep. 29, 2025

I often think of it as like B-roll that I’m shooting on that first day.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2024

She added: "It’s trite to call London a character, but as backdrop she’s looking fabulous in the B-roll."

From BBC • May 22, 2024

Mr. Trump’s appearances give them sound, fury and B-roll.

From New York Times • Feb. 17, 2024

The B-roll of the run-down section of Underhill where Johnson lived runs onscreen.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon