--- {"title": "How to let members request films for group viewings in 2026", "description": "Learn how church and community media hosts can collect film requests from members for group viewings, with setup steps and tool options.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-let-members-request-films-for-group-viewings-for-church-and-community-media-hosts/", "date": "2026-11-03"} --- Learn how church and community media hosts can collect film requests from members for group viewings, with setup steps and tool options. Pick one place where members send film requests, write a short note on the rules, and review requests on a set day each week. | Option | Request method | Cost details | |---|---|---| | Askarr | Members search for the film they want on Askarr and request it, and the request is added to the library through the host's own Radarr or Sonarr. [^1] | The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [^1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [^1] | | Request form | Members type a film title into the form the host chooses, and the form collects the titles in one place. | not published | | Shared list | Members add film ideas to a list the host shares. | not published | ## What you need before you start Decide which members can send requests, and write that down before the first request arrives. Decide what kinds of films fit your group, such as family films, documentaries or films for a discussion night, so members know what to ask for. Have a list of the films your group can show, so you know which requests you can fill. Decide who reviews each request and whether a film needs approval before it is booked for a viewing. Choose one place where members will send requests, such as a request website, a form or a shared list. Keep the choice simple so members use only that place. Radarr and Sonarr are helper programs that add films (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to a media library. Only consider them if your group already uses them, and pick a request method that fits how films reach your library. ## Step by step 1. Name one place where members send film requests, and tell everyone to use only that place. 2. Write down who reviews each request, how often they will look at new requests, and whether a film needs approval before it is booked. 3. Write a short note for members that says who can request, which kinds of films are accepted, and how they will hear whether a request was approved or declined. 4. Send the note and the request place to the members you want to include, with two lines on how to search for a film and how to submit it. 5. Pick a regular day each week to review new requests. Approve the ones that fit your schedule and remove the ones that do not. 6. Ask a few members after the first week what confused them, then update the note to fix those points. 7. Keep a simple record of which films were requested and which were shown, so planning the next season is easier. Keep the note short and check it against the questions members actually ask. If members keep asking for titles outside the rules, edit the note rather than adding more rules, because a few clear rules are easier to follow. Once the request place, the rules and the review day are set, the same steps work for every season of viewings. ## Tools that can do it Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] Askarr is added once to Radarr and Sonarr as a list they read requests from. [^1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [^1] Members can search for a film on Askarr and request it, and the host's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [^1] A message from Radarr and Sonarr tells the site when a film was added and downloaded, and the site shows that. [^1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can be pasted to find the title. [^1] The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [^1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [^1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [^1] For other tools, read each tool's own page and check how it handles title searches, approvals, updates and the way requests reach the library. Compare those details with how your group already shows films before choosing one. ## Common mistakes to avoid Avoid opening a request place without explaining the rules. Members need to know which kinds of films can be requested and who decides what gets booked for a viewing. Avoid choosing a tool before checking how it fits the way films are shown to your group. Requests should be clear to the members sending them and to the host who handles them. Avoid forgetting to review requests after launch. An old list of unanswered requests becomes hard to manage and can discourage members from asking again. Avoid skipping privacy checks. Look at what information a tool asks members for and what access it needs before you invite anyone to use it. ## Frequently asked questions ### How can church and community media hosts let members request films for group viewings? Pick one place where members send requests, write down who reviews them and which kinds of films are accepted, and send that note to the members you want to include. Review the requests on a regular day each week and tell members the outcome. A short note that explains the rules answers most questions before they are asked. Asking a few members after the first week shows what still needs changing. ### Can Askarr let church members request films for group viewings? Members can search for a film on Askarr and request it, and the host's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [^1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. [^1] The site shows when a film was added and downloaded, based on notices from Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] Whether this fits your group depends on how your films are added and reviewed. ### Does Askarr need access to Radarr and Sonarr to work? Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [^1] Instead, Askarr is set up once with Radarr and Sonarr, and after that they pick up each new request on their own. [^1] Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] Check the setup steps shown on Askarr's site before you begin. ### How much does Askarr cost for a small church group? The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [^1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [^1] Pick the plan that matches how many films your members are likely to ask for each month. ### Can Askarr be tried before signing up? You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [^1] A demo shows sample data, so a host can see how requests and their status look before inviting members. [^1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [^1] Check the plan page to confirm which plan includes it before you decide. The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] - [Visit Askarr](/go/start) ## Sources [^1]: Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start)