B-roll Mismatch? Solve Editing Disasters with "Reverse Timing"
Keywords: B-roll, Editing Tips, Visual Storytelling, Shot List, TempoPrompter
The Pain Point: You write a beautiful line: "Morning sunlight hits the coffee cup, steam rising slowly..." You feel the vibe and go shoot a close-up of the coffee. Editing time comes, and you're stuck: The voiceover takes 8 seconds to read. But your coffee shot is only 3 seconds long before it gets shaky or cuts. Result: Not enough footage. You're forced to use awkward slow-mo or filler shots.
Why This Happens
We often overestimate visual density and underestimate verbal duration. Without a reference, we lack patience when shooting B-roll, thinking "3 seconds is plenty."
The Solution: Reverse Engineering
Professional documentary directors often work Sound First, Visuals Second. Using TempoPrompter's duration estimation, you can revolutionize your workflow:
- Input Script: Type the coffee description into the App.
- Check Duration: The App tells you that at an emotional pace, this takes 8.5 seconds.
- Execute: Pick up the camera, count in your head (or use the App's timer), and force yourself to film that cup for 10 seconds (safety margin).
Stop "Filling Gaps"
When you know exactly how long each VO segment is, your B-roll shooting becomes purposeful. It's no longer "shooting around"; it's "filling precise slots." This saves shooting time and makes your editing process silky smooth.
