Quick answer
To make the AI repairman prank, film your real laundry room, kitchen, or wherever an appliance is, then insert an AI repairman with a tool belt and drill who glances at the camera and says 'heard you've got something that needs fixing?' — and send it to your partner as playful jealousy bait. Lock the camera so your real background stays put. Starrd's The Repairman template does it from one short clip.
The Prank
You text your partner a video. No caption. It's your laundry room — the real one, same light, same pile of detergent — and there's a guy with a tool belt crouched by the washer, drill in hand. He looks up at the camera, gives an easy smile, and says, "Hey — heard you've got something that needs fixing?"
You did not call a repairman. The repairman isn't real. But it's your room, filmed on your phone, so for about four seconds your partner's brain goes somewhere fun before the laughing-emoji panic sets in. That's the whole bit: harmless jealousy bait that looks like genuine footage.
This is one specific recipe from the broader AI prank video trend — the appliance-repair cousin of the shirtless plumber. Here's how to nail this one.
The Fastest Way
The Starrd The Repairman template has the character and the default line already loaded. You film the clip, tap once, and it's done.
The Repairman
Film your laundry room or kitchen and we add the repairman who 'came to fix the washer.' Default line: 'Hey — heard you've got something that needs fixing?' One clip, one tap.
If you'd rather build it by hand, three steps.
Step 1 — Film the Room (Wherever the Appliance Is)
The realism of the room is what sells the fake person, so give the AI a clean, boring shot to work with.
- Frame the appliance with space open. The repairman appears crouched by the washer, dryer, or counter — leave that spot clear.
- Hold it fairly steady. A static handheld shot or a slow pan. No fast moves; motion blur breaks the insert.
- Light it normally. Daylight or room lights. Dark, grainy footage makes the seams show.
- Keep it 5–12 seconds and frame it like you casually walked in filming — that "wait, who's here?" energy is the realism.
Film as if you just walked in and noticed someone — let the camera drift toward the empty spot by the appliance. You're shooting the "before"; the AI fills in the repairman.
Step 2 — The Prompt
Insert the character, give him one small action and the line, and lock your camera so the model keeps your real room.
Keep the original room, lighting, and camera exactly as in the reference video — static handheld shot, the camera does not move. Add one new person: a handsome, friendly repairman in his 30s, fit, open work shirt over a tank top, tool belt, holding a cordless drill, working near the washer or an appliance. Halfway through he glances toward the camera with an easy smile and says in a relaxed, low voice, "Hey — heard you've got something that needs fixing?" Keep the original background audio. He is the only thing added; do not change anything else in the room.
The "static shot, camera does not move, same room and lighting" clause is doing the heavy lifting — without it, Seedance treats your clip as a loose reference and the room drifts.
Step 3 — Model and Send
Run it on Seedance 2.0 — the multimodal model that takes your reference video plus the character image and generates the repairman with a voice. (The Starrd template already uses it.)
Then send it cold. No "look at this," no setup — just the clip, dropped into the chat. Screen-record the reply, because the reply is the post. And reveal it quickly: this is a joke, not an accusation.
Keep it a harmless bit on someone who'll laugh, and tell them it's fake right after. Don't use a fake stranger to genuinely accuse, scare, or deceive anyone.
Common Mistakes
- Cluttered appliance area — no open spot, so the model warps your machine. Clear the frame.
- Too dark or too shaky — the repairman comes out smeared. Slow down, add light.
- Skipping the camera lock — the room drifts mid-clip. Always pin "static shot, same room."
- Letting it land too real — the gag is the reveal. Don't leave anyone actually believing it.
Related Reading
- How to Make an AI Prank Video — the full method behind every video-to-video prank.
- How to Make the Shirtless Plumber Prank Video — the kitchen-sink sibling of this one.
- How to Make the Snake in the Kitchen Prank Video — the other big one, aimed at parents.
- Seedance 2.0 Prompt Guide — camera locks and the language that keeps a scene stable.
