Which term refers to alternate footage used to cut with the primary footage, typically without sound?

• A. B-Roll
• B. Backgrounds
• C. ADR Stage
• D. AAF

Answer: (A)

This term refers to footage shot to accompany the main shots and used to cut with them, usually without its own sound. That kind of footage is B-roll. It provides visual context, shows alternate angles or detail shots, and helps hide edits by offering material to cut to while the primary footage—A-roll—plays. Because it’s intended to support the main scene rather than be the focal point, B-roll is often used with its audio kept separate from the primary dialogue or action.

The other options aren’t the standard term for this purpose: background plates or backgrounds are more about settings or plates used for compose/visual effects, ADR Stage is where dialogue is re-recorded after shooting, and AAF is a file format for transferring project data between editing systems.