Platform makes home DVD watching social

The Couchers wants to turn home film watching into a social experience, by encouraging locals to invite others in the neighborhood round to join in.

It’s occasionally the case that cinemagoers aren’t enthralled by the choice of new releases offered, and sometimes it’s just easier to stay in and stick a DVD on. We’ve already seen Mobz enable Brazilian consumers to choose what gets screened at their local cinema, and now The Couchers is solving the second problem, by turning home film watching into a social experience.

Users signing up to the site first allow it to detect their location. Then, they can begin searching for nearby events posted by others within a maximum 49km radius, although users can limit their search to within 5km. If they like the look of the film being shown, they can accept the open invitation and get in contact with the host. If homeowners are planning on watching a film in their own home, they can use the site to advertise the event, detailing the number of places available.

The idea behind the site is that homeowners can turn an evening in into a social occasion, while getting to meet members of the local community who share their taste in film. Although in an early stage of its development, it’s easy to see how a platform such as this could be expanded to include features that enable hosts to organize extra elements such as food, with attendees sharing the bill. Could a similar idea work for other nights in?

Spotted by: Giulia Cuccolini