When businesses invest in professional video content, a surprising amount of focus tends to fall on the interview or scripted narrative — and understandably so. But it’s often the B-roll — those supplemental shots that visually support your main footage — that determines whether your final production is forgettable or truly compelling.
At St Louis Video Production Crews, we’ve seen firsthand how great B-roll elevates messaging, adds context, and keeps audiences engaged. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen what happens when B-roll is overlooked or poorly executed. If you’re a decision-maker guiding photography and video production for your organization, understanding common B-roll mistakes — and how to avoid them — can save time, money, and your brand’s credibility.
Mistake #1: Skipping the Planning Phase
One of the most common B-roll blunders is treating it as an afterthought. Without a strategic plan, the footage captured is often generic, redundant, or irrelevant.
Solution: Plan your B-roll with purpose. Think in terms of visual storytelling — how can your supporting footage visually reinforce what’s being said? At St Louis Video Production Crews, we map out a detailed B-roll shot list during pre-production based on the script or interview content. This ensures that every cutaway has a reason to be in the edit.
Mistake #2: Relying on Stock Footage
Stock B-roll may save time, but it rarely aligns with your brand’s authenticity or messaging. Overused clips can cheapen your final product, especially when audiences recognize them from other unrelated content.
Solution: Custom footage is always king. Whether we’re filming at your facility, in our private studio, or capturing aerial shots with licensed drones, our goal is to create B-roll that is uniquely yours. We customize every aspect to your branding, tone, and media objectives.
Mistake #3: Shooting Without Intentional Framing
Even experienced crews sometimes capture B-roll that lacks composition — resulting in shaky, overly wide, or uninteresting visuals. This lack of attention to detail can make your production look amateur.
Solution: B-roll deserves the same professional treatment as any hero shot. Our camera operators understand the art of visual composition, lighting, and motion. With our private studio lighting setups and framing expertise, we deliver clean, intentional footage that enhances your message and looks great across all platforms.
Mistake #4: Ignoring Audio Opportunities
While B-roll is typically silent in the final edit, capturing relevant natural sound (also known as nat sound) can create richer storytelling options in post. It’s often a missed opportunity.
Solution: We train our crews to think ahead — when appropriate, we roll audio with our B-roll, capturing footsteps, ambient office sound, or machinery in action. This gives editors more creative tools to weave an engaging narrative and texture your video with authenticity.
Mistake #5: Using Outdated or Inconsistent Visual Styles
Using mismatched frame rates, resolutions, or color profiles can leave your B-roll looking inconsistent — distracting from your brand’s polished image.
Solution: Our team ensures visual consistency across all footage, applying calibrated color profiles and using matching cameras and frame rates throughout the shoot. We’re well-versed in all media file types and editing software, and we use the latest AI-assisted tools in post-production for style matching, color grading, and motion smoothing.
Elevate Your Next Production with the Right Team
B-roll is not just “filler.” Done right, it gives your video depth, emotion, and brand personality. Done wrong, it drags down your entire production. That’s why it’s essential to work with a crew that understands the nuance and power of supplemental visuals.
St Louis Video Production Crews is a full-service professional commercial photography and video production company with the right equipment and creative crew service experience for successful image acquisition. We offer full-service studio and location video and photography, editing and post-production, and licensed drone pilots, including the capability to fly specialized drones indoors.
We can customize your productions for diverse types of media requirements — and we specialize in repurposing photography and video branding to gain more traction across marketing channels. With experience in all file types, media styles, and advanced editing software, we use the latest Artificial Intelligence tools to enhance and streamline our services.
Our private studio features professional lighting, a clean visual setup for small productions or interviews, and enough space to incorporate props to round out your set. Whether you’re looking for a private custom interview scene or need camera operators, sound techs, or a turnkey production team, we’ve got you covered.
Since 1982, we’ve helped businesses, marketing firms, and creative agencies across the St. Louis area bring their stories to life with compelling, professional video content.
Let’s avoid those B-roll blunders — and make your next video production perfect.
Ready to roll? Contact St Louis Video Production Crews today to start planning your next standout production.
St Louis Video Production Crews 