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Top 10 Scary and Funny Pranks to Scare Your Friends

James Hogan
James Hogan Originally published Oct 21, 24, updated Dec 05, 24

Scary pranks are a fun way to get a good laugh and give your friends a fright, no matter the time of year. Whether it's a holiday like Halloween and Christmas or just for fun, these pranks are sure to make any occasion unforgettable. In this guide, we've covered 10 scary prank ideas you can pull off at home or outside.

Don't forget to record your friends' priceless reactions! Once you've got the footage, you can use Wondershare Filmora to edit them into hilarious videos and share them with everyone. Ready to see what scary prank ideas made the list? Let's get into it!

scary prank ideas for friends
In this article

Part 1. The Top 10 Scary and Funny Pranks to Try

Halloween is the perfect time to prank your friends. The pranks should have spooky and eerie vibes to match the Halloween season. If you're looking for scary prank ideas for friends, this section will give you plenty of ideas!

Here are 10 scary prank ideas that are easy to pull off at home or outside. You'll get plenty of screams and laughs from your friends with these pranks.

  1. Prank 1: The Fake Spider Attack
  2. Who isn't freaked out by spiders? You can prank your friend by placing a fake spider in their shoe or pillow. Or, hang the spider above a room door, so it drops when your friend opens the door. If you want to step it up, use a remote-controlled spider to make the spider move!

    the fake spider attack
  3. Prank 2: The Jump Scare Box
  4. This one's a classic horror prank idea! Fill a box with fake bugs, snakes, or something equally creepy. When someone opens it and the critters "jump" out, it'll sure make them shocked and scream.

    the jump scare box
  5. Prank 3: The Clown Mannequin
  6. If you have an old mannequin, dress it up like a creepy clown. Then, place it somewhere dark, like a hallway or the yard. Watch as your friends freak out when they think a creepy clown is lurking around.

    the clown mannequin
  7. Prank 4: The Ghost in the Window
  8. Stick a creepy decal or mask on the outside of a window. Make it look like someone's watching from outside. When your friend spots the face peeking in, they'll get the chills!

    the ghost in the window
  9. Prank 5: Creepy Doll That Moves
  10. Nothing's creepier than a doll that seems to move on its own. Place it somewhere visible, then sneakily change its position when your friends aren't looking. This prank always gets a good reaction.

    a creepy doll that moves
  11. Prank 6: The Head in the Jar
  12. Get a scary mannequin head, place it inside a jar, and add some dirty-looking water. Hide the jar in your fridge or somewhere unexpected. When your friends go for a snack and spot a head floating in a jar, it'll give them good horror pranks!

    the head in a jar
  13. Prank 7: The Haunted Hallway Silhouette
  14. Set up a ghostly silhouette at the end of a dark hallway or along a path outside. All you need is a white sheet and a mannequin to make it look like a spooky figure waiting in the shadows.

    the haunted hallway silhouette
  15. Prank 8: Fake Handshake Prank
  16. This one is great for social gatherings. Offer a handshake, but instead of extending your real hand, use a disgusting fake hand. It's a simple yet hilarious way to freak out your friends!

    fake handshake prank
  17. Prank 9: The Jump Scare Behind the Door
  18. Place a life-size cutout or scary figure behind a door. When your friend opens it, they'll face it and get a sudden scare! It works well with both indoor doors and outdoor gates.

    the jump scare behind the door
  19. Prank 10: Scary Sounds from the Closet
  20. Hide a speaker in a closet or shed and play creepy sound effects like whispers or ghostly moans. The random sounds will make your friends get chills!

    scary sound from the closet

Don't forget to record your friends' reactions! With Wondershare Filmora, you can easily turn those moments into hilarious videos and share the fun with everyone. The next section will show you how to edit your prank recordings using Wondershare Filmora, a all-in-one video editor for you.

Part 2. Edit Your Prank Recordings with Wondershare Filmora

After pulling off those pranks to scare your friends, your recorded reaction video might be longer than expected. Editing a video with a long duration can take a lot of time. You need to trim the footage, add effects, and insert music, which can be time-consuming. Luckily, Wondershare Filmora has many AI Features that can help streamline video editing.

Here are the Filmora's features that will help you edit prank footage:

Warning: Cowards, proceed with caution!😈😱

  1. Smart Short Clips: Smart Short Clips feature can auto-generate short videos from long recordings by highlighting key moments. It helps you create short videos without the hassle of manual trimming.
  2. Video Effects: Filmora has many Video Effects with festival-themed to give your pranks a creepy vibe.
  3. AI Music & Sound Effects: Add eerie background music and sound effects with the help of Filmora's AI Music and AI Sound Effects features.
  4. AI Stickers: Add animated stickers with Filmora's AI Stickers feature to enhance the fun. You only have to describe your sticker ideas and it will create the stickers in seconds.

In addition to the features mentioned above, Filmora offers a variety of fun Halloween-themed tools to help users easily create festive videos.

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Get Started for Free

Here is the step-by-step guide to editing your prank videos in Filmora:

Step 1Open the Smart Short Clips Feature

Launch Filmora and go to the Create Project section. From the list of tools, select Smart Short Clips to start editing your prank video.

access the smart short clips feature
Step 2Import Your Video Files

You can upload your prank footage from your device, paste a YouTube link, or select a file from Filmora Cloud. If you paste a YouTube URL, ensure it's from your channel.

upload your video to filmora
Step 3Set Up Your Video Preferences

A settings window will appear where you can adjust video details. Set the video Language, Duration, and Themes. For more control, open the Advanced options to choose the Aspect Ratio and activate Smart BGM Generation here. Once you're done, click Generate.

customize the settings
Step 4Select Your Shortened Video

Filmora will analyze your video and create several shortened versions. Choose the one you like, or hit Reset to regenerate if needed. You can also use AI Speech Enhancement to boost the audio quality. Then, click Edit to enter the editing workspace.

select the shortened clips
Step 5Edit the Video

In the editing workspace, you can refine the video if necessary. For instance, you can adjust the caption, or change the font. Use the toolbar at the top to add Titles, Transitions, Filters, and Stickers to personalize your prank video.

edit the video to your preferences
Step 6Generate Stickers(Optional)

If you don't find any stickers that you want, you can generate stickers using AI in Filmora. Go to the Stickers tab > AI Stickers and provide the prompt for the stickers. Click Generate to let Filmora create a few Halloween-themed stickers for you.

generate sticker using ai
Step 7Apply slow motion with the AI Frame Interpolation feature

Select the clip you want to apply slow-motion effects in the timeline. Then, go to the settings panel on the right, and open the Speed tab > Uniform Speed. Next, expand the AI Frame Interpolation options and select Optical Flow from the list.

apply ai frame interpolation tool

Now, it's time to give your prank video a Halloween feel. Go to the Effects tab > Video Effects. Then, type "Halloween" in the search box to find effects and overlays to set the spooky mood.

add halloween-themed effects
  1. To generate music using AI in Filmora, head to the Audio tab > AI Music > Start. Here, you can set the Mood, Theme, and Genre you want to create.
  2. add ai music
  3. To generate sound effects using AI in Filmroa, navigate to the Audio tab > AI Sound Effects. Here, you can describe the sound effects such as ghostly wails to eerie creaks.
  4. add ai sound effects
Step 8Export Your Prank Video

When you're done with the editing, go to the Export window and save the video to your device. Or, you can share it on social media (YouTube, TikTok, or Vimeo) and schedule your video for later posting.

export and share your video
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Part 3. Tips for Capturing the Perfect Prank on Video

Want to make sure you catch every hilarious moment of your prank? Here are some easy tips to help you get the best footage:

  • Tip 1: Use multiple cameras for various angles. This approach will ensure you catch both the prank setup and the reaction of your friends.
  • Tip 2: Ensure the lighting is good, especially for indoor pranks. Proper lighting will capture details like facial expressions and small movements.
  • Tip 3: Timing is everything! Record when your friend is completely unsuspecting, ensuring a more genuine reaction.
  • Tip 4: Keep the camera hidden or positioned where it won't be noticed. You don't want your friend to see it and suspect something is up!
  • Tip 5: Test your audio beforehand, especially if your prank involves sounds like spooky music or eerie noises. If there's background noise, use Filmora's AI Audio Denoise This feature can help reduce the noise and make the audio sound clear.

Bonus: From Halloween to Christmas: Scary Pranks for Every Holiday

Here's how to bring the scary prank ideas to different occasions:

  • Halloween: Go all out with creepy costumes, fake blood, and haunted house setups. It’s the ultimate time for scares.
  • Christmas: Add a spooky twist with eerie Santa figures, haunted trees, or "creepy" gift surprises.
  • New Year's Eve: Surprise party guests with ghostly intruders or creepy sound effects during the countdown.
  • April Fool's Day: Take your pranks up a notch with haunted visuals, creepy sounds, and spooky setups.
  • Black Friday: Transform a store into a haunted maze or set up creepy displays to spook shoppers.

Conclusion

From jump scares to creepy setups, these 10 scary prank ideas you pull will leave your friends spooked and laughing. The list of scary pranks to do on friends this article is applicable to do at home or outside.

Don't forget to record your friends' reactions and use Wondershare Filmora to edit the footage. Filmora has many features that can enhance your prank videos, making them even more memorable. With these scary prank ideas and a how-to guide to edit the prank videos, your festival videos will be full of screams and laughs!

James Hogan
James Hogan Dec 05, 24
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