A-roll
Also called A roll, primary footage, main footage
What is A-roll?
A-roll is the primary footage of a video, the shots that carry the story or message. In most marketing and social videos it is a person talking to camera, an interview or a presenter. The audio from the A-roll usually runs through the whole video, while other footage is cut in over it.
The term comes from film editing, where the main material sat on reel A and supporting shots on reel B. Editors would cut between the two to build the final sequence. The words stuck even though editing went digital decades ago.
In a faceless or narrated video, there may be no A-roll in the classic sense. The voiceover plays the role of the A-roll's audio, and the picture is made entirely from B-roll, screenshots, graphics or motion graphics.
Why A-roll matters
The A-roll is where trust is built. A real owner, employee or customer speaking directly to the viewer gives a business a face and a voice, which a stock montage cannot.
Planning A-roll first also keeps videos focused. Once the main message is recorded cleanly, everything else (B-roll, captions, music) supports it rather than competing with it.
How to film good A-roll
- Write or outline what will be said before you press record.
- Use a microphone close to the speaker; viewers forgive soft video more than bad audio.
- Face a window or soft light and keep the background tidy and on-brand.
- Frame at eye level, with room at the top for captions or text in vertical video.
- Record several takes of the key lines so the editor can pick the best.
A-roll FAQ
Is A-roll always someone talking?
Usually, but not always. A-roll is whatever carries the main story. In a cooking video it might be the full recipe being made; in an event video, the main stage.
Can a video be all B-roll?
Yes. Many faceless and narrated videos are made only of supporting visuals with a voiceover or text on screen. In that case the narration does the job the A-roll would.
Related terms
B-roll is supporting footage cut into a video over the main shot, such as product close-ups or scenes of a space, to show what is being said.
A talking head video shows a person speaking directly to the camera, framed from the chest or shoulders up, often with captions and B-roll.
A jump cut is an edit between two shots of the same subject from almost the same angle, so the subject seems to jump forward in time.
A shot list is a checklist of every shot needed for a video, with framing, angle, location and notes, used to plan and run the shoot.
A voiceover is narration recorded separately from the picture and laid over a video to explain, tell a story or guide the viewer.