When his record label (Epic Records) refused to pay for a third video for the album, Jackson funded it through a $500,000 deal with MTV and Showtime for the rights to the Making Michael Jackson's Thriller documentary.
Starring alongside Jackson was Ola Ray, a former Playboy centerfold, and the video featured the legendary voice of horror icon Vincent Price . 🧟 Cultural Impact & Legacy
At a budget of $500,000 , it was the most expensive music video ever made at the time—roughly five times the industry average.
Michael Jackson hired John Landis after seeing his work on An American Werewolf in London . Jackson wanted to "be a pioneer" and create "short music movies" rather than standard videos.
The "Michael Jackson - Thriller" music video is widely considered the most influential music video of all time. Directed by John Landis and released on December 2, 1983, it transformed music videos from simple promotional clips into a high-art form of narrative filmmaking. 📽️ Production and Vision
The Story of… 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson - Smooth Radio