At the end of October, I was invited by Laika Entertainment to a sneak peek here in NYC of their upcoming 3D stop-motion animated feature Coraline. I got to see 30 minutes of the film, after which writer/director Henry Selick came out for an audience Q&A.

Soon after the screening, I got an email from the Coraline Team out in Portland, OR, telling me to be on the lookout for a package from them specially made for me with me in mind and that I will be one of 50 people slated to receive such an item — each being one of a kind.

This is a big deal for me, because I’m a great fan of the Coraline book, I love stop-motion, and c’mon, it’s Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas. There’s a reason I can’t stop writing about this project! Anyhow, so I couldn’t imagine what they’d be sending, but the other day it arrived — a handcrafted aged box with an oval plate that read “Handmade in Oregon – 14/50.” Inside the box was a weathered letter with a wax seal with a black button just like the ones used in the film. The letter explained why I was getting such a unique gift and a bit about how it was made. From what I can tell, from the few other people online I saw who’ve gotten their own box, most of the message is a standard form letter, but there’s one paragraph that specifically addresses the recipient. My paragraph has some nice things to say about Geeks of Doom (we’re artistic, hilarious, unconventional…), but probably the coolest thing it said was …

THAT’S WHY WE ADMIRE GEEKSOFDOOM – (GREATEST NAME EVER).

The theatrical trailer for the 3D stop-motion animated Coraline is now online.

Watch it here below! Also, the final theatrical poster is at right (click for large view).

Coraline was written and directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, based on the book by Neil Gaiman and is the first movie to ever be filmed in 3D.

The young Coraline bored in her new home, goes searching around and finds a secret door that leads to an alternate version of her own life. At first, Coraline loves this other world, as it seems so much better than her own. On the other side, is an Other Mother and Other Father, who want her to stay there forever, and while at first she’s tempted, she soon realizes that there’s something wrong with this other place, but is it soon enough to escape back to her real home and family?

The teaser trailer for Coraline, the animated stop-motion film written and directed by Henry Selick based on Neil Gaiman‘s 2002 children’s book, was leaked online this weekend (see ‘Coraline’ Teaser Trailer).

Now, Gaiman has posted higher quality versions of the teaser trailer in QuickTime and DivX, which came directly from the animation studio Laika.

In other Gaiman news, Stephen Bissette posted on his blog the cover for Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman, the book he co-wrote with Chris Golden and Hank Wagner.

Check out the cover here at right and click for larger view.