Add B-Roll and Stock Footage Automatically with AI

Part of 🧑‍💻 MODULE 4: Editing, Branding & Enhancing (Articles 14–17) in Crash Course: Starting an AI Video Generation Business from Scratch

Okay, real talk—have you ever sat down to edit a video, full of excitement, only to realize you’ve spent 45 minutes just trying to find one decent clip of a person typing on a laptop?

Yeah. Same.

Welcome to the magical (and slightly chaotic) world of B-roll.

So…What Even Is B-Roll?

Think of B-roll as the secret sauce to any decent video. It’s the supporting footage that spices up your main narrative (aka your A-roll). You know when someone’s talking in a YouTube vlog, and while they mention “working late,” suddenly you see a cinematic shot of a city at night? That’s B-roll. Boom. Visual flavor.

But let’s be honest—finding, downloading, trimming, timing, and inserting B-roll manually is the kind of task that can make you question all your life choices. Especially if you’re working solo, or just getting started in video production.

Which brings us to the magic word: AI.

The AI Revolution Is Not Coming—It’s Already Here

These days, AI isn’t just helping you write captions or tweak your lighting—it’s out here making full-blown editorial decisions. And guess what? One of its superpowers is adding relevant, juicy B-roll and stock footage to your videos automatically.

I know, I know—it sounds a little too good to be true. Like, what’s next? AI making us coffee? (Actually, that might already be a thing. Someone ask Elon.)

But jokes aside, this is a real game-changer, especially if you’re:

• A beginner editor who’s overwhelmed by timelines and stock libraries
• A content creator juggling 15 things at once
• Or just someone who values their sanity

So let’s break it down.

The Old Way: Tears and Late Nights

Before AI tools stepped into the chat, adding B-roll was like that one friend who always says they’re “five minutes away” but shows up an hour later.

You’d:

1. Watch your main footage back 73 times
2. Try to imagine what footage could visually represent what’s being said
3. Scour stock websites—maybe even pay $$$ for access
4. Download, trim, test in timeline, then realize it doesn’t match your vibe
5. Repeat until you hate the project (and yourself, a little)

It was painful. Creatively exhausting. And not exactly beginner-friendly.

The AI Way: Fast, Slick, and Surprisingly Smart

Now enter tools like Runway, Pictory, Descript, and Wisecut. These clever little wizards don’t just cut your content—they understand context. Some even analyze your script or audio, and then auto-insert relevant B-roll from massive stock libraries. For real.

Let’s say your video script says:

“Last summer, I traveled to Tokyo and fell in love with the ramen scene.”

AI can literally be like, “Oh bet,” and drop in footage of Tokyo streets, bowls of steaming ramen, and people slurping noodles—all synced to your voiceover.

It’s wild.

How It Usually Works:

• Upload your video or script
• The AI parses the transcript (usually with speech recognition)
• It identifies keywords and matches them to available stock clips
• It edits them into your timeline (sometimes with transitions and music too!)
• You preview and tweak—if needed. Sometimes, it’s spot-on out of the gate

And that’s it. It’s like having a super-efficient assistant who doesn’t ask for bathroom breaks.

A Quick Anecdote: When AI Saved My Butt

So, story time.

I once had a client video due in, like, 12 hours (because obviously I said “yes” to something I definitely didn’t have time for). It was a talking-head interview about cybersecurity—which, let’s be honest, isn’t the sexiest topic visually.

I tossed the transcript into Pictory, and the thing just got it. Password animations, data centers, “hacker in hoodie” stock footage—it sprinkled everything in with near-perfect timing. I didn’t have to hunt down clips, and the result actually looked… good?

I turned it in with hours to spare and even had time for a real dinner. Not just caffeine and vibes.

But Wait—Isn’t That Kinda… Cheating?

You might be wondering, “If AI is doing all this, what am I actually doing as the creator?”

Great question. And honestly, it’s something I’ve wrestled with too.

Here’s the deal: AI is your assistant. Not your replacement. You still have to guide the ship—decide on tone, pacing, what feels right. You’re the creative vision. AI is just helping you execute faster (and with less hair-pulling).

Plus, AI doesn’t always get it right. It might throw in a clip of a cat in a business suit when you’re talking about remote work. Cute? Yes. Relevant? Not so much.

So yeah, you’re still the boss.

What Tools Should You Actually Try?

Glad you asked. Here’s a quick breakdown of some beginner-friendly options:

🟣 Pictory

• Best for: Script-to-video workflows
• Pros: Extremely easy, even for non-editors
• Bonus: Automatically adds captions & summaries

🟢 Runway

• Best for: AI-assisted creative editing (think B-roll, effects, cleanup)
• Pros: More flexible, pro-level results
• Bonus: AI-generated video from text—if you’re feeling bold

🟡 Descript

• Best for: Podcast and talking-head video editing
• Pros: Great for working with transcripts + auto B-roll matching
• Bonus: You can edit video like a Word doc. Seriously.

🔵 Wisecut

• Best for: Short-form videos, creators, reels
• Pros: Fast and lightweight
• Bonus: Automatic voice ducking and subtitles

Pick one. Play with it. Break stuff. You’ll learn faster than you think.

Some Real Talk Before You Dive In

Look—AI isn’t a miracle wand. It’s more like a cheat code, but you still gotta play the game.

There’ll be hiccups. Maybe it picks the wrong clip. Maybe the timing’s off. Maybe it gets a bit too literal (e.g. inserting actual bees when someone says “busy as a bee”). That’s okay. You’ll learn to guide it.

Use it to free up your brain space for the fun stuff—like storytelling, comedy, branding, and putting more of you into your videos.

And hey, if you’re someone who’s always said, “I want to get into video, but editing just kills me”… well, you officially have no excuse now.

Final Thoughts: AI Isn’t Replacing You. It’s Backing You Up.

This moment—right now—is one of the coolest times to be a content creator. Tools that used to cost thousands of dollars (and a team of editors) are literally in your browser.

So go make stuff. Tell your stories. Experiment. Upload weird little videos that make you laugh or cry or cringe. Add that B-roll. Add too much of it, even.

The point is—you can do this. And now, you’ve got a little AI magic to help.

Now go make something awesome. And if you see a video of a dog skateboarding in a corporate training video… maybe that’s just the AI being cheeky. Or maybe it’s genius. Either way, roll with it 😉