Movie night for a crowd
Picking a movie for two is hard. For a room full of friends, family at the holidays, or a group chat planning a watch party, it's worse: the loudest person picks, the quiet ones sit through something they didn't want, and someone always says they've seen it.
What goes wrong with groups
- Open debate favours the confident. Shy or polite people don't push back, even when they hate the pick.
- Show of hands is public. People vote with the crowd instead of saying what they think.
- Too many suggestions. Everyone throws out a favourite and there's no way to compare them.
A method that works
- One shortlist for everyone. Whoever is hosting picks the services you'll watch on and a genre. Everyone sees the same thirty or so titles.
- Private yes / maybe / no. People vote on their own phones. Nobody sees anyone else's votes.
- Respect the veto. A title with a single "no" drops down the list. The best group pick is something everybody is at least okay with, not something half the room loves and half dreads.
- Rank by enthusiasm. Among titles nobody vetoed, the one with the most yeses wins.
Watch What? does all of this in one link for up to 12 people. The host opens a room, drops the link in the group chat, and everyone votes as they arrive. You can watch the seating chart fill up as people vote, and the results open for everyone at once when each person has voted on ten.
Questions
How many people can vote?
Up to 12 people per room. Each person just opens the link and types a first name or nickname.
Can people vote before they arrive?
Yes. Send the link earlier in the day; everyone votes whenever they like and the result is ready when you sit down.
What if someone has seen everything on the list?
They can vote no or maybe on what they've seen. When you're done, start another round with the same group and a different genre.