An invitation should answer the questions guests would otherwise send back. Keep it short enough to read on a phone and specific enough to make joining easy.
1. Lead with the film and the time
Put the title, date and time zone in the first lines. Add the running time if the evening is longer than usual. If the film is still undecided, say when you will announce the choice instead of leaving guests to guess.
Use a first line such as Friday, 8 pm Mexico City, 100-minute comedy. Put the calendar date beside Friday so the invitation remains clear when forwarded.
For a structured way to prepare a screening, use the Into Film club planning guide and adapt the activities to your own group.
- Arrival 5 min
- Film / episodes 100 min
- Breaks 5 min
- Conversation 10 min
Editable example ·Into Film club planning guide · timeanddate's Meeting Planner
2. Include the way into the room
Copy the invitation link or code from your Zopley room. Keep it on its own line in the message so it is easy to find. Ask one friend to try it before distributing the invitation to the full group.
Paste the current room link once and include the code as a fallback. Ask one guest to check that both lead to the intended room.
The W3C accessible media guide explains captions, transcripts and audio description. Ask which options your guests need, then test them before the session.
3. Explain the viewing plan
Mention whether you will watch a whole movie, two episodes or a short-film selection. Tell people if you expect a quiet screening or chat throughout. If guests need access to an external source, resolve that before the session.
Name the video source and any separate viewing account needed. Explain that joining the room does not provide a commercial movie subscription.
Check the actual date and cities in timeanddate's Meeting Planner before sending the invitation. Seasonal clock changes can alter the time difference.
4. Give late arrivals a simple instruction
Ask anyone arriving late to enter through the same invitation and send a quick message in the room. You can then decide whether to pause at a suitable point. Avoid restarting the opening repeatedly for every new arrival.
Tell late guests to enter quietly and send HERE in the chat. The host can acknowledge them at a pause without replaying the opening.