Airbnb: The Unique Fund

(Filmed in a Boot)

The Problem: Belonging in a Boot

Airbnb’s Unique Fund celebrated the most unconventional stays.

Our assignment: capture the story of a boot-shaped house without slipping into cliché. The challenge was to make something eccentric feel whimsical, human, and believable.

The Process: Structuring Eccentricity

1. Producer Notes → Problem Brief

Messy inputs, scattered quotes, and half-baked ideas formed the raw problem space. My first step was to sift signals from noise — just like framing a product problem before jumping to solutions.

2. Shot Schedule → Wireframes

We translated notes into a shot list and schedule — a wireframe for the film. It mapped the “user journey” of the boot: arrival → orientation → intimacy → belonging. This blueprint kept production intentional and reduced risk.

3. Filming Structure → Experience Flow

Each beat was designed like a product flow:

• Onboarding → entering the boot.

• Removing Friction → tactile moments that made it livable.

• Delight → whimsical details revealed with playful transitions.

• Belonging Signal → hosts reflecting, the home reframed as meaningful.

4. Production Execution → Prototype Build

Constraints were the canvas. The tiny interior demanded ruthless prioritization: every prop, angle, and movement had to earn its place. By leveraging natural textures and real light, we prototyped an experience that felt intimate yet magical.

The Solution: Whimsy Made Believable

The final film was equal parts documentary and metaphor. It showed that even in the most eccentric spaces, belonging can feel natural.

Impact: Only On Airbnb

The piece ran as part of the Unique Fund campaign, proving Airbnb’s promise: belonging isn’t tied to normalcy — it’s found in the unexpected.