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How to make b-roll cutaway shots without filming

Updated · Reviewed by The Rift team

Short answer

Tell Spark, Rift's video agent, the cutaway you need: steam over a coffee cup, a hand typing at a tidy desk, a city street at dusk. Add a frame from your own video so the light and colour match. Check the Draft, tap Make, and use the video, up to 15 seconds, in your edit.

B-roll is the cutaway you cut to while someone talks. Tell Spark which cutaway you need, add a frame from your video so the light matches, and you get a clip of up to 15 seconds.

What you need

Step by step

  1. List the shots you need.
  2. Tell Spark one shot at a time, with light and camera.
  3. Check the Draft and tap Make.
  4. Find them in your Library and drop them into your editing app.

Lines to try with Spark

Tips

For a very specific kind of cutaway, see POV video without filming.

Questions people ask

How do I make it match my footage?

Add a photo or a frame from your own video and ask Spark to match the light and colour.

Can I use it in an editing app?

Yes. Save the video from your Library and add it to your edit like any other clip.

Can I make several shots?

Yes. Make one video for each cutaway and place them in your edit.

Can it include people?

Yes, but use people who agreed, or keep it to hands and objects.