B-roll — the cutaways, establishing shots and texture that cover edits and set a scene — used to mean trawling stock libraries for "close enough." In 2026 you generate exactly the clip your edit needs with AI. Here's how to make B-roll that fits, and which models to use.
Why AI B-roll beats stock
Stock footage forces a compromise: you search, settle for the closest match, and track a licence. AI flips it — you generate the exact cutaway your scene calls for ("rain on a window at night, shallow focus," "hands typing on a laptop, overhead, warm light"), matched to your edit's mood, with no per-clip licence to manage. It's faster, cheaper at volume, and a perfect fit instead of an approximation.
Step 1 — Spot the gaps in your edit
Watch your cut and note where you need cover: a transition, an establishing shot, a texture under narration, a cutaway from a talking head. List the exact shots — that list becomes your prompt list.
Step 2 — Prompt each cutaway
Write each B-roll prompt like a shot: subject, motion, lens, light. "Slow pan across a misty pine forest at dawn, cinematic, shallow depth of field." Keep it one action per clip. Our cinematic video prompt guide covers the structure that gets usable shots first try.
Step 3 — Pick the model
- Kling / Seedance — the value workhorses for the volume of short cutaways B-roll needs; Kling also animates a still you supply.
- Veo / Sora — for a hero establishing shot where realism (and native audio) earns the extra cost.
Match the cheap models to filler cutaways and reserve premium shots for the moments on screen longest. See best AI video generators 2026 and Seedance vs Kling vs Hailuo.
Step 4 — Match it to your footage
B-roll only works if it blends. Keep the colour palette, lighting and lens feel consistent with your main footage — say "golden hour, 35mm, slight film grain" if that's your look. Generate a couple of takes per shot and pick the one that cuts cleanly.
Step 5 — Cut it in
Drop the clips into the gaps, trim to the beat or the narration, and colour-match in your editor. Because you generated to fit, it should sit naturally rather than feel like dropped-in stock.
A B-roll workflow
- List the cutaways your edit needs.
- Prompt each one (subject, motion, lens, light), one action per clip.
- Generate on Kling/Seedance; hero shots on Veo.
- Keep palette and lens consistent with your main footage.
- Cut in, trim, colour-match.
The all-in-one angle
B-roll is a volume game — many short clips, plus the odd hero shot — so a stock subscription or per-tool model billing adds up. Nexvy runs Kling, Seedance, Veo and Sora under one subscription and one credit balance, so you generate every cutaway and the occasional premium establishing shot in one place, paying only for what you use. See the video generator or pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI generate B-roll footage?
Yes. AI video models (Kling, Seedance, Veo) generate short cutaway clips — establishing shots, textures, hands-at-work, cityscapes — from a text prompt or by animating a still. It replaces hunting stock libraries with footage made to fit your exact shot, and there's no per-clip licence to track.
Is AI B-roll cheaper than stock footage?
Usually, yes. Instead of a per-clip or subscription stock licence, you generate exactly the cutaway you need on a credit-based platform — and you can make it match your scene precisely instead of settling for the closest stock result.
What's the best AI model for B-roll?
Kling and Seedance are great value for the volume of short cutaways B-roll needs, and Kling animates stills well. Veo or Sora are worth it for a hero establishing shot where realism matters. Most edits mix cheap cutaways with one premium shot.
Where can I generate B-roll with AI?
Nexvy runs Kling, Seedance, Veo and Sora under one subscription, so you generate all your cutaways and the occasional hero shot from one account and one credit balance — no stock subscription required.
The bottom line
AI B-roll replaces "close enough" stock with cutaways generated to fit: list the gaps, prompt each shot, generate on Kling/Seedance (Veo for heroes), and keep the palette consistent so it blends. It's cheaper and a better fit than stock. Generate your B-roll on Nexvy.
