This document outlines basic conventions for A-roll and B-roll footage in documentary filmmaking. A-roll footage consists of interviews with subjects framed using rules of composition and lighting. B-roll footage is used to supplement the interviews, including establishing shots, archive footage, photographs, and vox pops to illustrate points. A presenter or voiceover narration is typically used to anchor the meaning and guide viewer understanding.

1. Basic Conventions of
Documentary
Elle Disley

2. A-Roll footage
• Interviews with people important to the subject –
usually filmed with camera on a tripod.
• Interviews are framed using the rule of thirds.
• The interviewer often does not feature; questions are
edited out.
• Subject looks across the camera at the interviewer not
at the camera.
• The subjects face is lit from the front, not from behind
never in front of a window.
• Different interviews are filmed using different shot sizes
and framing to provide variety (eg medium shot, head
on left -> close up, head on right etc)
• Backgroud mise en scene is organised to reflect the
topic or personality of the subject.
• Blue screen/chroma key may be used to put relevant
images behind the subject.
• Graphics showing the names of the subjects to put
relevant images behind the subject.

3. B- Roll footage
• Used to supplement the main interview footage, edited
together between footage sometimes in a montage.
• Cutaway shots are inserted into interview footage to
illustrate what the subject is talking about.
• Establishing shots may be used to identify locations where
people live or where events are taking place.
• Archive footage may be used to identify historical facts.
• Still photographs may be used to illustrate what is being
spoken about – the camera may pan or zoom in on them.
• Vox pops – Soundbites of interviews with ordinary people
– sometimes filmed with hand-held camera.
• A presenter who speaks to the camera and/or voice over
narration delivering a carefully written script – anchors the
meaning of the visual images and guides the viewers
understanding of the topic.
• Presenter/Voicer over narrator usually speaks with an
authoritative voice
• A non – diegetic musical soundtrack may be used behind
the voice-over and may rise in volume when there is no
voice-over.