How to Add B-rolls with iMovie Cutaway & Online Alternative

Sometimes, you may want to cut away to another shot while keep the voice or sound from the main track when editing your video project. For example, when you're doing an interview and your guest mentions a particular event, you may want to add a clip or image of said event to your video.

We call those cutaways b rolls, which help to splice all the main shots together, demonstrate the point, and also helps to create a smooth and cohesive video project.

The b roll makes your video look advanced and professional indeed, but it doesn't mean the process of adding b rolls to your video is complicated. If you're trying to do b-roll in a video using iMovie, with the Cutaway feature of iMovie, it is a total breeze. Here's how you can do it!

Contents:

Also Read: Typewriter Effect iMovie: How to Add Typewriter Effect in iMovie >

Part 1 How to Add B Roll with iMovie Cutaway on iPhone/iPad/Mac

You can use the cutaway feature to add a b-roll over another clip to show two different perspectives of a single event. Now, let's take a look at how to add b roll in iMovie with Cutaway effect and also how do you edit your iMovie cutaway clip, such as adjust fade or opacity.

1.1 How to Do a Cutaway in iMovie to Add a B-roll on Mac

Step 1

Open the project you want to add the b-roll to in iMovie on you Mac.

Step 2

Import the b-roll clip that you want to cut away to the My Media section. You can simply do this by hitting Import Media.

Step 3

Once you have your b-roll footage imported, drag it above the main clip in the timeline, and you can also drag it to the exact position in time you would like it to play. Here remember to check the Video Overlay Settings on the far left above the preview window to make sure that Cutaway is selected from the dropdown.

How to Do a Cutaway in iMovie on Mac

Step 4

You can also make the cutaway b-roll clip fade in and out to soften the transition between the original clip and the cutaway clip, select a b-roll clip in the timeline, then drag one of the fade handles at the top of the b-roll toward the center of the clip to lengthen the fade, or toward the edge of the clip to shorten the fade.

How to Do a Cutaway in iMovie on Mac - Edit

1.2 How to Do a Cutaway in iMovie to Add a B-roll on iPhone/iPad

Like on Mac, you can easily add a cutaway footage or b roll to your movie on your iPhone or iPad

How to Do a Cutaway B-roll in iMovie on iPad/iPhone

Part 2 How to Add B Roll to Video with the Online iMovie Alternative

As the iMovie is proprietary software for Apple users, many others users may look for an iMovie alternative to easily add b roll in a video.

Here comes FlexClip, a free online video editor helps you to add b roll to your video in breeze and also make more edits to level up your video with its powerful editing tool. What's more, it comes with an user-friendly interface and rich special effects, allowing you to add cutaway footage/b roll and edit them with fade-in/fade out effects and more with great ease, no editing experience is required.

Click the Get Started Now button and follow the simple steps below to learn how to add b roll to video online for free.

Get Started Now View Templates

Step 1

Go to FlexClip video editor and upload your video footage and the b-roll clip. Here you can upload them from your computer or mobile device, or even try to record a new clip, FlexClip meets all your needs.

How to Cutaway/B Roll to Video - Upload

Step 2

Now, add the main clip to the Timeline as scene firstly, and then apply your b roll clip as a layer on the main clip.

How to Cutaway/B Roll to Video - Add Footage to Timeline

Step 3

Go to the Timeline to drag the b roll footage to the exact position in time on the main clip, and you can also trim the cutaway footage to the desire length freely. Then adjust the size and location of the b roll to cover the main clip on the canvas by dragging and dropping directly.

How to Cutaway/B Roll to Video - Edit the Cutaway

Step 4

Once you're happy with the roll appearance, you can make the it fade in and fade out when it appears and disappears using the Motion feature of FlexClip. You can also pick other great effects for your b-roll, like popup an wipe, etc.

How to Cutaway/B Roll to Video - Fade in/out Cutaway

While you're in the editor, you can use FlexClip's powerful tools to make any other edits you'd like to your video:

• Add transition effects, filters to the video;
• Add watermark, overlays & voice over;
• Split, trim, and rotate the video;

Edit Video View Templates

Also, you can make a stunning video with FlexClip's pre-made video templates:

Preview

Anniversary Photo Collage

Use This Template

Preview

Holiday Vacation Recap

Use This Template

Sandy /

Has 4-year of professional photographing experience. Very much into recording every detail of life. She is passionate about all things related to video production, and loves to exploring tips and tricks about it.