The music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was directed by John Landis and produced by Landis, Jackson, and George Folsey Jr. in 1983. It stars Michael Jackson and features elaborate choreography, makeup effects, and a storyline where Jackson transforms into a zombie. The 14-minute video popularized the music video format and helped propel Thriller to become the best-selling album of all time. It is considered one of the most influential music videos ever made due to its cinematic quality, effects, and iconic dance routine.

1. Thriller
Michael Jackson

2. Information
Directed by: John Landis
Produced by: George Folsey, Jr., Michael jackson & John Landis
Written by: John Landis & Michael Jackson
Starring: Michael Jackson
Co-Starring: Ola Ray
Director of Photography: Robert Paynter, B.S.C.
Special Make-up Effects Designed & Created by: Rick Baker & EFX, Inc
Choreography: Michael Peters & Michael Jackson
Edited by: Malcolm Campbell & George Folsey, Jr.
Art Director: Charles Hughes
Costume Designed by: Kelly Kimball & Deborah Nadoolman Landis
Production Manager: Dan Allingham
First Assistant Director: David Sosna
Scary Music by: Elmer Bernstein
Extra
Performed by: Michael Jackson
Featuring 'Rap' by: Vincent Price
Produced by: Quincy Jones & Michael Jackson
Written by: Rod Temperton
Recorded & Mixed by: Bruce Swedien

3. Introduction
I think that looking at existing influential music videos is very important
when finding out more information about music videos and also seeing
what sells well and what doesn't.
When people think about influential music videos, the first one that
comes to mind is Michael Jackson's 15 minute short film and music
video, 'Thriller'. The music video for 'Thriller' was produced by John
Landis and came in the top 5 of MTV's 100 Greatest Videos Ever Made.
The pyrotechnics, illusions and make-up that were used were
unimaginable, especially for the time when it was made. As a Media
student, when thinking about all the organisation that must have had to
be done, all the thought that was put into creating the music video and
how long it must have taken to get the actors and actresses dressed, not
to mention how many hours of rehearsals it took to get the dance routine
on-point.

4. Personal Comments
You will find at the start and also at the end, a few comments which are
said to have come straight from Michael himself about the video. They
really finish the video off with the added touch of brilliance.

5. Dance Routine
For one, it is written and sang by the most influential artist of all-time and
has the most memorable dance routine EVER! Below are some shots
taken from the music video which you will find zombies dancing to the
memorable ‘Thriller’.

6. Dance Continued…

7. First Storyline
The first storyline that you are introduced to starts as a horror story, using
Michael and a very petite female character. After it finishes, when it gets to the
point where the girl is about to get eaten, it instantly cuts to the scene shows
below where there is a cinema full of people watching a film.

8. Storyline
The fact that it has a story within a story means that you know somehow they are
going to be related. However at the time it was very clever in the way it was
thought up of and it must have been really confusing to film each part. Below are
some shots of the first story you are introduced to.

9. Main Storyline
The music starts after the happy couple have come out from the cinema. As they
are walking out, the name of the film they have walked out from is named
‘Thriller’ and is advertised a lot, when the music starts to play.
The camera paces from this shot to the next in which it then zooms to show the
two characters.

10. Setting The Scene
When it comes to seeing where the scenes will be set, they are
particularly good. As seen on the previous slide, you see where the
scene is set after we have visited it and ready to go to the next scene.
The scene below is at 10:37 where the female character is running away
after seeing Michael turn into a zombie. She runs into the nearest derelict
house and a whole new experience begins.

11. Music Starts
The unforgettable music starts to play, where Michael starts dancing and
following the female as she walks away because she thinks Michael is being silly
talking about ghosts and zombies. Lots of camera angles are used to show body
language and how each of the characters feel about the situation.
This long shot is used to This over-the-shoulder shot is This close up shot shows the
show that after the small used to show that he wants body language and emotions
argument they both had her to trust him but she is of both of them. That she
outside the cinema is slightly unsure. trusts Michael and they have
influencing the way she looks a connection.
at Michael. She is not
listening to him and wants

12. Close Up’s Used
Close up’s are used in these two contexts in different ways. The first close up
with the female character is used at fairly the beginning at 5:14 where Michael is
singing to her down the dark alley. At the start of the song, she is unsure about
Michael, and she seems to warm to him the more he sings. This shows her
positive, flirty expressions towards him before they pass the graveyard.
The second close up is at 8:25 where it shows the transformation of Michael
when he turns into a zombie, after both of them being circled by a herd of
them. It shows his change from human to zombie.

13. The Zombies
Immersion of the zombies is an important part of the music video. The shots
shows the 2 different ways that zombies can immerse from and also show how
the hard of zombies walking and ‘ganging’ together.
1. Close up of someone pushing his/her hands out of the grass belonging to the
gravestone holder.
2. Medium shot of someone pushing the granite lid off his/her own coffin.
1. 2.

14. Surrounded
The two shots below show the transition between getting followed by walking
zombies and being circled by them. I love these two shots, every single person in
each of the shots is in character and looks individually scary. To be in that
situation in filming would be such an adrenalin rush.

15. Ending
It end with three influential scenes. The first two of which are linked together and
are found below. It comes from the point of view from the female screaming and
hiding her face whilst sat on a sofa. Between the two scenes, all you see is a
blink of her reactions.

16. Final Michael Scene
The last scene that you see with Michael in it is the one shown below. You see
this scene after he asks ‘ Do you want me to take you home?’ After which he
helps the female up from the sofa, walks out and whilst walking out turns round to
face to camera with yellow eyes as seen below.

17. Post-Production
The post-production to add all the sound effects, lighting effects, camera
angles and the cuts between each scene. It must have taken forever!
Hard work pays off however I'm sure the budget of $800,000 really
helped.

18. Bibliography
I had to use a few websites to help me with finding out more information about
Michael, his solo career and also the whole concept of the song. It has made me
respect him more as an artist, as I now know more about him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(album)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson's_Thriller