AI B-Roll Suggestions: How Machine Learning Knows What Shot Comes Next
Every wedding filmmaker has been here: you've got the soundbites locked, the music synced, the dialogue paced perfectly. Then you hit the gap between two soundbites and think — what B-roll goes here?
You know the moment calls for something. But should it be a wide shot of the venue? A close-up of the rings? A reaction shot? A slow-motion detail? The right choice makes the film feel intentional. The wrong one makes it feel like filler.
What if the AI that built your story also told you exactly what to put in between?
How AI B-Roll Suggestions Work
When RoughCut generates your story, it doesn't just pick soundbites and arrange them. After assembling the narrative arc, it runs a separate analysis pass that examines each transition between soundbites and generates specific shot suggestions based on three signals:
1. Emotional Context
The AI reads what was just said and what's about to be said. If the previous soundbite was the father choking up during his speech and the next is the bride wiping tears, the B-roll should bridge that emotion — not interrupt it with a wide venue shot.
Example suggestion: "Close-up of the bride's hands clasped in her lap as she listens, shallow depth of field. Cut to a medium shot of the father at the podium, visible emotion in his expression."
2. Section Awareness
The AI knows which part of the wedding day each soundbite comes from — ceremony, vows, speeches, reception. B-roll suggestions match the section. During vows, you get ceremony-appropriate suggestions (altar close-ups, officiant reactions, guest tears). During toasts, you get reception-appropriate suggestions (table details, clinking glasses, laughter reactions).
Example suggestion: For a vows section: "Slow push-in on the couple's joined hands, rings visible. Rack focus to the officiant in the background."
3. Narrative Position
Where you are in the story arc matters. The opening calls for atmospheric establishing shots — the venue at golden hour, dress details, quiet morning preparation. The climax calls for intimate, emotional close-ups. The resolution calls for celebration — confetti, dancing, the exit.
The AI adjusts its suggestions based on whether you're in the opening, build, climax, resolution, or closing of the narrative arc.
What the Suggestions Actually Look Like
These aren't generic prompts like "insert B-roll here." Each suggestion describes a specific shot with:
- Subject and framing — what's in the shot and how it's composed ("medium shot of bridesmaids reacting", "extreme close-up of the invitation suite")
- Camera movement — static, slow push-in, pull-out, pan, tracking shot
- Mood and pacing — slow motion, natural speed, atmospheric, energetic
- Depth of field — shallow for intimate moments, deep for establishing shots
A real example from a RoughCut export:
B-ROLL: The bride getting ready — intimate moments of preparation
1. Close-up of the bride's makeup being applied, brush strokes in slow motion
2. Medium shot of bridesmaids laughing together while helping with the dress
3. Detail shot of the wedding shoes next to the bouquet, shallow depth of field
4. Over-the-shoulder shot of the bride looking in the mirror for the first time in her dress
How They Appear in Your NLE
B-roll suggestions are exported as timeline markers in your NLE. When you open the exported timeline in Premiere, Resolve, or FCP, you'll see markers at every transition point.
- Premiere Pro: Markers appear on the timeline ruler. The short label shows as the marker name. Hover or open the Markers panel to see the full shot descriptions in the Comments field.
- DaVinci Resolve: Same as Premiere — markers on the ruler with descriptions.
- Final Cut Pro: Markers on the primary storyline. Double-click any marker to see the full note with shot-by-shot suggestions.
You also get a printable B-Roll Shot List as a .txt file in the export ZIP — useful for pulling shots from your media before you start editing.
Customizing B-Roll Coverage
Before generating your story, you can select which parts of the wedding day you filmed. This tells the AI what footage you actually have available, so it only suggests shots you can realistically use.
Options include: Getting Ready, First Look, Ceremony, Reception, Details, Portraits, and more. You can also choose between Linear style (follow the day chronologically) and Cinematic style (more creative, mood-driven placement).
Does It Actually Help?
The honest answer: it depends on how you work. If you already know exactly what B-roll goes where, the suggestions are a nice confirmation. If you're the kind of filmmaker who gets stuck in the "what goes here?" decision loop, they're a significant time saver.
The biggest value is during the first pass. Instead of building the edit from scratch, you open a timeline that already has dialogue placed, music synced, and specific shot suggestions at every gap. Even if you only follow half the suggestions, you're starting from a much more complete starting point than a blank timeline.
See it in action
Import your multicam timeline and generate a story. The B-roll suggestions appear automatically. First project is free.
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