New app aims to be the Airbnb of movie location scouting

Brian Tan (credit: Wrapal, Shoot Publicity Wire)
Brian Tan (credit: Wrapal, Shoot Publicity Wire)

Unsure about allowing strangers to sleep in your house but still want to make a quick buck? Enter Wrapal, the self-proclaimed “Airbnb of location scouting.”

Instead of short-term rentals for overnight visitors, Wrapal is a service that allows people to list their homes as a potential location for shooting movies. It’s currently in beta mode, and will launch in Los Angeles on May 7 with 750 locations available for booking.

Founded by L.A. filmmaker Brian Tan of BLT, the platform is intended to make life easier for filmmakers, for whom location scouting is often an arduous process.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

By signing up, you agree to TheRealDeal Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

“As filmmakers, one of the toughest challenges we face is finding locations,” Tan told Curbed. “The process is time-consuming and tedious… We love making movies, and want to change the way they’re made.”

Wrapal does not have a set of qualifications for listed sites — any property is fair game, and property owners get full control over the deal. Outside of a 4 percent credit card fee, they can keep all the proceeds because Wrapal makes money from advertising. [Curbed] — Cathaleen Chen