I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T WRITE A JOURNAL ENTRY ABOUT THIS EARLIER!!! THIS IS HUGE NEWS. HUGE!!!

Okay, my parents have these really close friends who work in the Hollywood studio business. And they e-mailed my mom telling her that there was this special screening of Coraline in Hollywood for all exclusive members and a few guests to bring along.

Well, these friends know all about my Coraline obsession, and so they invited me and my parents (not my younger brother because he's annoying and would ruin it for me!) to go with them and see the special viewing!

--- The e-mail also said that Henry Selick would be there before and after to ask questions and talk to guests ---

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, the movie was spectacular (duh!), but the theater we watched it in was amazing. The sound was perfect and the screen was in complete HD. It all seemed so private; for really important people (people unlike myself, sadly).

My parents were laughing heir buns off at the Other Spink and Forcible show. They've seen it before, of course, but they just seemed to think it was funnier then than it was any other time.

Did I mention it was in 3D??? The administrators handed out these supper High-Tech 3D glasses that basically fit around my entire head/eye area! Now I've seen Coraline in 3D too many times to even remember, but this was the...BEST 3D I'D EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!! MY JAW WAS LITERALLY DROPPED THE WHOLE TIME (100 min)!!!

This experience was so amazing to me! I felt like I was seeing the movie for the first time again! IT WAS SO WEIRD!!!!

-------------------------Now for the really good part! The part you've all been waiting to hear about!!!-----------------------

I went straight up to Henry and asked if he could sign my book, "Coraline: A Visual Companion" and he DID!!
He signed it right on the "first" page with Cat on it!

"To Olivia, Henry Selick" He has an artist's signature, very loose and expressive

My heart was pounding like mad. I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to glomp him or faint from lack of oxygen!

Then my parents and our "inviters" talked with him a bit . He was so sweet. My mom actually said, "I really hope we're not pestering you!" and he replied, "Oh no, you're not pestering me at all," in such a cool manner!!

It's true what they say about him. He uses his hands a lot when he talks. He is very visual that way when he really wants to get a point across or explain something meaningful. He also squints briefly as he talks too. Not a lot but sometimes. And lastly, while he was speaking lively to present the movie before it started, he shook his head about 2 or 3 times, as if to ruffle his hair or something

When I told him that I had seen Coraline in theaters 13 times he laughed and actually said to me, "I think you are proof that the movie was successful." HOLY SH***!!!

My mother said while we were waiting to get a moment with him, that, "he's so cute!" in a freaked out/excited manner.

He also spent some time explaining to my fellow adults just how the animation process works in stop-motion. He explained that the "animators literally act through the puppets". I basically finished his sentence by saying this and he was so excited by the fact that I understood his point. I was able to comprehend his work method. He smiled at me and nodded hurriedly, congratulating me on my correct guess.

My Dad then asked if he would take a picture with me and he said YES! Of course I've never taken a decent picture in my life but he was as charming as ever! My folks said that they would frame it for me (which I am totally excited about!)
And while we were taking the picture I think either my mother or father mentioned that I would love to be his little caddy for him. Do what ever he asks of me and whenever!
He responded by saying that, "I was the future". I guess he meant 'art of the next generation to bring masterpieces into the world'.

He also claimed that he likes to publicly speak, and that's when my mother's friend asked if he would be interested in visiting my school, perhaps. He never gave a straight answer but he did ask where my school was and when I mentioned that it was in California, he responded by saying, "Well I am going to be moving back to the Bay area, so it would definitely be easy to!"

I naturally didn't want to harass him in any way, so I shut up about it and let my adults take care of the matter. He said that the best way to contact him would be through ---. It was so interesting to hear that because my adults that work in the studio business claim that a lot of big-shot directors (like Henry) always say things like, "You'll have to talk to my agent about that" and other annoying things. But he seemed really interested in doing some more public events, so I keep my fingers crossed to this day.

He gave us a name at --- to call but to wait until --- when he plans to start speaking again. I sent him a letter close to the beginning of this year, around late February just letting him know how much his movie means to me and what an amazing artist he is. He said that he'd try looking through his mail to try and find it. He found my appreciation and wanting an autograph was "flattering" for him.

And then there came the words that made the heavens sing inside my brain...
He said that, "He would see me again!" *faints, then dies*

I don't think he'd make a promise like that and not keep it! I hope with all my heart that I do see him again because he was the most influential man that I'd ever met. He's a true artist with so much passion and determination for what he does that he just loves doing it. You could see the love he has for Coraline just seeping from every part of him! I almost wanted to cry!
If anyone needs a hero to look upon, Henry's the perfect guy!

My brain, heart, and soul beats to the tune of Coraline! Never again will I doubt my fan-girl-ness for this movie. I will try to do some new Coraline art as soon as possible!!!