B-roll is not filler. It clarifies a point, establishes context, controls pace, or supplies visual evidence. An AI B-roll request sheet makes that purpose explicit before generation.
It also prevents a common failure: generating generic footage that looks polished but weakens the story or implies something unsupported.
Start with story purpose
For every clip, write what the viewer should understand, not only what should appear. “Show calm hands using the product in soft light” is more testable than “nice lifestyle shot.”
Mark whether the clip is literal, contextual, or conceptual. That label affects claims, disclosure, and whether real footage is required.
Specify the generation request
Record source image, subject action, camera motion, speed limit, lighting, palette, background, exclusions, duration, aspect ratio, resolution, and frame rate. One row should equal one controlled shot.
If the B-roll must match existing footage, add a reference still and note lens feel, grain, direction, and audio environment.
Define acceptance
Check subject continuity, physical contact, perspective, flicker, text, crop safety, compression, and whether the clip supports the narration without overclaiming.
Reject attractive but misleading motion. A beautiful scene showing an unsupported use case is not acceptable B-roll.
Track status and rights
Give every request a stable ID and status: requested, generated, rejected, approved, used, or unused. Keep prompt, model or tool version, source, reviewer, and result together.
Record source rights and any provenance information required by the publication context before the clip enters the edit.
Conclusion
A request sheet makes B-roll accountable: each clip has a purpose, boundary, review result, and publication decision.
Editorial note: This guide was drafted with AI assistance, then checked and edited against the sources listed below on September 20, 2026. It does not report an unperformed product test.
Sources
Improve this guide
Report a problem or suggest the next question
Submissions enter a private editorial queue. They are reviewed and deduplicated before any public update or new page is created.