Overlay Footage: Supplementary Visual Layer Explained

B-roll is supplementary video footage that plays on top of your main clips. While your primary footage (A-roll) carries the main content — typically a person speaking or the core action — B-roll adds visual variety, covers transitions, and illustrates what's being discussed.

Why Use B-Roll

  • Cover cuts — when you trim or join speech clips, B-roll hides the jump cut and makes the edit seamless
  • Visual interest — showing what's being talked about keeps viewers engaged longer than a static talking head
  • Illustrate points — if your narration mentions a location, product, or action, B-roll shows it on screen
  • Pacing — alternating between A-roll and B-roll creates rhythm and prevents visual fatigue

B-Roll in Bitcut

In Bitcut, B-roll clips live on a separate overlay track above your main timeline. This means:

  • B-roll plays on top of the main clip at that position
  • Main clip audio continues underneath — only the visuals change
  • You can adjust opacity to blend the overlay with the main footage
  • B-roll clips can be trimmed, moved, and deleted independently
Audio behavior: By default, B-roll clips play without their own audio — only the main timeline audio is heard. This keeps your narration or speech uninterrupted while the visuals change.

Common B-Roll Examples

  • Travel vlog — scenic shots, street views, food close-ups over your narration
  • Tutorial — screen recording or product close-ups while you explain steps
  • Review — detail shots of the product while you discuss features
  • Interview — cutaway shots that illustrate what the speaker is describing

Next Steps