How to Make Prank Videos? YouTube Prank Ideas

If you are a fan of pranking people or watching related content, this article will cover everything related to how to make prank videos.

Needless to say, the world is full of pranksters, from your family members to your next-door neighbor, there will always be someone with a sense of humor.

With the rise of prank videos all over YouTube, they are dominating the world. Therefore, it’s so easy to join the bandwagon and make your own prank videos.

We are going to tackle some questions on what is required to make prank videos and the steps to take to make your prank videos a success. Also, we will share with you some prank video ideas.

Should You Start a Prank Channel on YouTube?

If you like making jokes around and looking for a space where you could realize yourself, then you should start a prank channel on YouTube. It’s not too late!

Pranking is a broad category and from the wide range of pranks, you only need to figure out what kind of pranks you want to do.

Since YouTube prank videos are very popular,  you need to come up with unique content to ensure you attract viewers at all times. Depending on the types of pranks you choose, it is important to have a plan on how and where to shoot your videos.

Is it Legal to Make Prank Videos and Publish on YouTube?

Yes, it is totally legal to make pranks videos and publish them on YouTube.

However, it vastly differs on which state or country you are doing the pranking. This means there are some places you need to get permission depending on the kind of prank you are doing.

For example, you may need to obtain a permit or a signed legal document called a Release to protect you from any legal action. This is necessary in case the prank goes wrong and someone is injured or you get sued for harassment.

Don’t forget, you still need to stay within YouTube Terms of Service to avoid being accused of sexual harassment, racism, prejudice, or violence. Also, make sure you get consent to feature everyone in the videos as some may not want to be seen in YouTube posts.

Can You Earn Money Starting Pranks Channel on YouTube?

Just like other YouTube channels, it is possible to earn money from a prank channel. People like to watch prank videos and with catchy content, you can be able to make good money.

Nonetheless, it all depends on various factors such as the quality of the content, upload frequency, number of subscribers, and views among others.

When it comes to subscribers, you need at least 1000 and 4000 watch hours in a year to be able to monetize your YouTube channel. Note that, to earn money directly from your channel, you need to have a Google AdSense account.

This account enables you to earn money through ads, which is 68% of the overall amount paid by the advertiser. You can also earn through subscriptions, and channel memberships too.

Keep in mind, not all videos are eligible for monetization. Therefore, you need to check out the requirements of YouTube video monetization policies before posting your prank videos.

To sum up, your income from prank videos mostly depends on the number of views, subscribers – because these factors are the most important for Ads or even signing extra deals with well-known brands.

Do You Need Any License or Permission to Shoot Prank Videos?

Depending on where you are based and the rules surrounding the area, it’s possible you do need a license or special permission to shoot prank videos. For example, in some parts of the US and UK, you can shoot prank videos in a public area without needing a license or permission.

However, it all changes if you shoot inside or outside certain buildings or private properties where you need to obtain a license and other permits from the owners or the city council.

Keep in mind, you should avoid taking close shots of random people even if you are in a public place. In case you do so, ensure you ask for permission first before you edit the video.

How To Prepare for Prank Videos?

Compared to other YouTube videos, it is never easy to shoot prank videos because of the secrecy involved.

First of all, you need to prepare a scenario and a script. Don’t go randomly expecting that everything goes well naturally. Prank videos require a lot of preparation including finding a location, setting the time of day and even targeting the audience.

Before any prank video, your script and scenario must be very accurate and customized according to the audience.

Don’t forget about the required equipment, you need to have the right ones by your side.

10 Popular Prank Ideas for 2022

1. Haunted Stereo Speakers

In case your family members love music, it is time to prank them with the haunted stereo speakers. First off unplug the wires from the speakers to the sound source. Make sure you leave the speakers in place to avoid arousing any suspicion.

Run an extended set of wires from a different stereo, smartphone, or any other audio device into the disconnected speakers. If the stereo can be paired with Bluetooth then link it to your phone.

Wait for your victim to go to sleep and in the middle of the night find the creepiest audio track or loudest music and play it. Other than the sound waking up your victim, they will also freak out when they notice the stereo is turned off although still emitting the sounds.

2. The Shoe Shrink Prank

Another great way to prank your partner is to stuff a sock, cotton wool, or napkins in their shoes. Wait for them to put on their shoes and record their reactions. To confuse them more, you can perform this trick on every pair of shoes they own.

Likewise, you can decide to only put socks or cotton wool in one shoe to confuse them more as they wonder if one foot has suddenly grown larger.

3.  Spread Petroleum Jelly on Doors

If you want to really prank one of your friends, one way is to spread petroleum jelly on the front door of their house or just the inside doors. Make sure you have a hidden camera to get their confused reaction as they try to open the door but their hands keep slipping.

Let them sweat for some minutes before finally opening the door for them.

4. Fake Voice-Activated Appliance

Have you brought a new coffee maker or toaster? You can prank your husband or wife by putting a voice activation label on the appliance.

Follow them into the kitchen and allow them to command the appliance. Make sure you are secretly recording them commanding the appliance and get a close-up of their confused faces when the appliance doesn’t work.

5. Balloons in the Bedroom

To light up your partner’s evening, you can spend the afternoon filling their bedroom with balloons. You can do it alone with the help of a helium tank or just invite family members and friends to help out.

When your victim opens the door just be sure you have a great angle of shooting the video for your YouTube channel.

6. Hide Bubble Wrap under the Rag

Do you have a rug in your hallway? Then hide bubble wrap under the rug for your significant other. Make sure you put it when they go to bed to avoid them noticing.

Wake up early the next day and record them as they jump in surprise from the bubble wrap noises.

If you don’t have a rug, you can place the bubble wrap underneath the bathmat and ensure the victim step into it before going into the shower.

7. Key Swaps

Living with friends, then you need to do a key swap on them. Exchange the keys onto each other’s key holders while making sure the friends don’t notice.

Note that, this prank works best in the morning when both friends are leaving the house and find themselves trying to open the car door without avail. Give the friends time to figure out what is wrong with their keys before revealing the truth to them.

Point to note; make sure the prank doesn’t cost them their job or they get late for an appointment or class.

8. Bush Man Prank

Though it might have been done by others before you, it is still possible to pull a bushman prank on your family members or friends.

First of all, you need to buy a bushman costume that blends with the environment.

You can choose to execute the plan at your own front lawn or your friend’s lawn. Set up your equipment early and wait for your sibling or friend to come home and give them a scare of a lifetime.

9. Let It Rain Frogs and Snakes

Have you gone camping or just hanging out in the backyard for the evening? Prepare an elaborate prank to scare everyone.

First of record frog and snake sounds on your smartphone and hide some speakers all around the camping site or the compound.

Next, with the help of some friends tie fake frogs and snakes on tree branches all around the compound. Let everyone settle down and then start playing the strange noises while giving them a chance to look around.

After making them uncomfortable, drop the fake frogs and snakes from the trees.

If this prank doesn’t make your friends and family run in all directions, then what will?

10. Make Your Partner Think Amazon Alexa is Broken

Is your partner a big nerd of technology? Can they not live without Alexa for a day? For instance, do they use her to turn on/off the lights, adjust the thermostat, turn up or down the music?

You can prank your partner by overriding all those commands by going to the Alexa app on your phone and changing the commands. Then wait patiently for your partner to arrive and command Alexa on their daily routine.

All in All

There you have it, all the information you need to know concerning how to make YouTube prank videos. So, no matter where you are, these guidelines will help you in your pranking journey.

You could easily find a lot of prank videos on YouTube, but keep in mind that the best pranks are original ones.

Also, if you are looking for some huge traffic and views spike, we suggest doing the most popular pranks that day but do it 100x times better and funnier – you could even fake it, but it helps to attract subscribers and viewers to your channel.

Just make sure to always keep the safety of others and you above everything. Also, remember the dos and don’ts of pranking to avoid being sued or arrested.