What is a cutaway shot?
For a cutaway definition, cutaways are supplementary shots that ‘cut away’ from the main shot (e.g. an interview) to another shot, typically to a visual of whatever the speaker is talking about. This interruption of a continuous shot then cuts back to the main shot. Cutaways have the effect of offering viewers more context than a single shot of someone speaking, using alternative footage that’s paired with voiceover.
Are cutaways the same as B-roll? Just what is B-roll and how is it used, anyway? For a B-roll definition, think of it like this — B-roll is footage of the main scene (let’s go with the interview example we used above) filmed on a ‘B’ camera (e.g. from a different angle) , where the ‘A’ camera is focused on the main shot (e.g. the interview). Examples of B-roll shots are things like reaction shots of the interviewer, B-roll video to show setting, or a close-up shot of the interviewee. etc. While B-roll is technically different to a cutaway shot, some people do use them interchangeably — so it’s good to be familiar with both terms.