Single and multiple camera differences, Friends and scrubs

Friends

Friends uses the multiple camera set up because it was a sitcom shot in front of a live audience. The multi camera technique allows multiple angles and shots to be captured in one take, this contrasts with the single camera technique which requires multiple takes of the same scene in order to capture different angles. However with the multi camera technique it is often the case that the cameras are in a fixed position and therefore the amount of angles you have is usually the same as the amount of cameras you have. With the friends episode the majority of the scenes shoot the apartment all facing the same direction with the audience behind them. The cameras have to be positioned this as if they were in different locations they would appear on screen.

Scrubs

Scrubs uses the single camera technique and is set in a real life hospital. The real life location means the single camera technique is more feasible than that of a multi camera one because there will be no purpose built area for cameras to be positioned. We also see due to the real life location natural lighting effects such as shadows caused by sunlight going through blinds appear on screen that we don't see with the artificially lit set friends is shot in.