(M)apping film in Scotland: Film tour maps, apps and ‘real’ engagements with virtual place

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of film tour apps and maps, exploring the different functionalities they offer, how these functionalities contribute to shaping engagements with place in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the specific role of film in this process. We find that while they possess similar functionalities to more general tourism apps – for example, providing information and offering travel advice – film tour apps and maps also connect the real world to the ‘reel’ world through games, active engagement, and prosumerism. The specific functionalities of film media apps, we argue, have ramifications for film tourism experiences, potentially extending the touristic experience of a destination to a multi-mediated, multi-layered experience of a ‘patchwork’ place through the lens of film. Additionally, functionalities of film tour apps facilitate new types of behaviours and interactions with place.