'Airbnb For Film' Links Homeowners And Location Scouts

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Lights, camera, transaction!

A new service -- Wrapal -- is sweeping into Tinseltown, allowing homeowners to temporarily rent out their homes for showbiz productions.

With its recently launched web domain, Wrapal.com, the startup gives homeowners a platform to advertise their homes to location scouts and list a price range, a la Airbnb.

"We don't function like middle-men," Wrapal founder Brian Tan said. "We're more like matchmakers."

The idea is to simplify the location scouting process for filmmakers and allow property owners to make some extra cash. The company's Twitter bio bills the service as "Airbnb for film."

The company generates revenue by charging a 4 percent fee on each transaction, and also sells banner ads on its website.

Independent TV and movie writer Daniel Benton said his experience with the site has been similar to his experience with that sharing economy service -- except it can be even more lucrative.

"I think Airbnb would be 100 dollars a night, maybe?" he said of renting his Sherman Oaks condo. "And one day of shooting here would be 4 thousand dollars a day."

Still, the film business is not always predictable, nor tidy.

For instance, one of Benton's doors came off its hinges during a recent shoot.

With that in mind, Tan said homeowners are provided an insurance policy for each shoot.

"Owners and filmmakers have peace of mind knowing that both sides are covered, no matter what," Tan said.