The structure of a film and a television show -- especially a half-hour comedy -- are quite similar. Both feature what is known as a teaser opening, or an opening joke or set piece that has nothing to do with the overall story, outside of introducing a character to the audience. Shows like "Two and a Half Men" and James Bond films both contain teaser openings. Once the story unfolds, you will often see an A story -- or the main plot -- as well as at least one other story, known as the B story. Films -- due to their running length -- contain numerous story lines while TV shows -- unless they're episodic -- usually feature three stories, maximum. An episodic show is a show in which story lines are carried out over several episodes. Soap operas are known as episodic shows.
Both films and television shows often use the same equipment to record stories, especially since the rise of digital video. Directors such as David Fincher and Darren Aronofsky used digital video cameras -- instead of traditional film cameras -- to shoot "The Social Network" (Fincher) and "Black Swan" (Aronofsky). Digital video is simply cheaper to film on and -- with proper lighting and advancements within the technology -- creates a look similar to film. Some TV shows -- such as "Boardwalk Empire" -- are shot on film. Martin Scorsese -- known primarily as a film director -- directed the pilot episode of "Boardwalk Empire." As directors begin to shoot films and TV shows in the same format, it becomes difficult to separate the look of the two.
When it comes to filming either a TV show or film, the same terminology is used when setting up shots. A close-up in TV is the same as a close-up in film, as is a tracking shot, a medium shot, an establishing shot and any other shot you can name. Both films and TV shows shoot on soundstages, as well as on location, which simply means the crew is using a real location instead of a set. Actors are not separated into film actors or TV actors, often working within both mediums. Examples include Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi and Alec Baldwin.
Television shows have been inspired by films, and films have been inspired by television shows, another example of how the two mediums have crossed paths. Shows such as "Friday Night Lights" and "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" were both films before gracing the small screen. Certain films -- such as "Mission Impossible" and "Jackass" -- were television shows before becoming films. Often, both a film and a TV show are based on another medium altogether. For example, "Batman" and "Superman" started off as comics before turning into television shows and then movies. "Saturday Night Live" has developed characters which have gone on to star in their own films. Examples include "The Blues Brothers," "Wayne's World" and "The Ladies' Man."