Five things to send someone
Photo pranks that don't need an app.
Each one starts with a photo and ends with a five-second video. No app, no account, no uploading anyone's face to a server you don't control.
Keep it kind.
Ask before using someone's face. Don't send these to strangers, don't use them to scare anyone, and don't pretend something is broken when it isn't. The joke is “this photo is squishy,” not “you are in trouble.”
1. The birthday card that fights back
You need: A photo of the birthday person, one free minute.
Do: Squish a cheek, pull it out, let go, record the wobble.
Send it with: “Happy birthday. Try not to pull it.”
It works because it's a card with a physical impulse. People poke it before they read it.
2. The hold-it-still challenge
You need: The same video, no editing.
Do: Send it with a bet attached.
Send it with: “I bet you can't hold it still for three seconds.”
It's a video, so they can't actually hold it still. That's the joke. The second joke is watching them try.
3. The group chat ambush
You need: One photo, five friends, no context.
Do: Drop the video in the chat and say nothing for ten minutes.
Send it with: “No caption. Let it sit there.”
Someone will ask what it is. Someone else will have already downloaded it.
4. The “we need to talk about the new headshots”
You need: A very serious photo of a colleague who will find it funny.
Do: Squish it, keep everything else professional, send it in a work-safe channel.
Send it with: “Not sure about the lighting.”
Read the room. This one is for the colleague who replies with a bigger joke, not the one who replies with HR.
5. The long-distance boop
You need: A photo of someone you miss.
Do: Make the video, send it with a one-line note.
Send it with: “Boop. That's all. Carry on.”
It's a stupid little thing to receive. That's why it works.
What to do after they ask how
Tell them it takes ten seconds and send them the link. That's the whole growth strategy.
Make one.
Pick a face, pull a cheek, record five seconds.
Questions, answered anyway
Is this mean?
Not if you ask first and keep it to people who enjoy being poked. If you have to wonder whether they'll laugh, they won't.
Can I prank someone I don't know?
No. Don't use a stranger's photo, don't send this to someone who didn't opt in, and don't put it anywhere public without permission.
Does the other person see my photo?
They see the video you send. Your original photo never leaves your browser.
Can I make one without a photo of a person?
Yes. Pets, statues, a very serious tomato. The mesh doesn't care.