Teri Hatcher and Dakota Fanning, the stars of Coraline, a movie based on the novella of the same name by Neil Gaiman, sat down with Filmazing to talk about their new film. In the story, a lonely young girl named Coraline, voiced by Fanning, discovers a world which includes new and more-perfect seeming versions of her own family, including her mother, played by Hatcher. The actresses discuss how the film represents something which audiences have never seen before and could never dream of, and how, at the same time, there are aspects of the plot that both parents and children can relate to.

Filmazing: The film is like nothing audiences have ever seen before, but also something they can relate to. Can you talk about that?

Hatcher: On the surface it’s, first of all, the first stop-motion animated 3-D movie ever, and an amazing visually entertaining art piece that stands alone just for that. But I think what resonates underneath is just a very relatable story of a family that’s disconnected from overwork and exhaustion. There’s a child that’s dissatisfied with parents who are not perfect and who gets lured away by something she thinks is going to be better and finds out that things that you think are that great are usually too good to be true. And then she has to get herself back and, in the end, really appreciates what she has. It’s Wizard of Oz-esque in that message, but really relatable; a family story. But beyond [that] it’s also an art piece that people who don’t have children can completely respect and be entertained by. It’s just masterful, really.

Fanning: The animation is something that no one has ever seen before, and the story, of course, it’s an amazing book and makes an amazing film. The creativity that’s been put into this movie by the director and all the people that worked on it is kind of mind-blowing.

Filmazing: The 3-D really works. What can people expect from the film?

Fanning: I think that you really feel like you’re in the film, especially because it kind of plays with your mind, because it’s not real people, and it’s not computer-generated people; it’s kind of in the middle. And I think because the 3-D is not just a few objects that kind of come out at you; the whole thing is very in your face, which I kind of love.

Filmazing: It’s a little bit scary…

Fanning: Yeah, it is kind of scary at first, which I think is good. I think it’s a good adventure, and it’s kind of good to be scared sometimes in this movie. I think you can expect a great adventure and maybe some creepy things and things you’ll be scared of, but I don’t think it’s anything kids can’t handle.

Filmazing: Did you have any idea what the film was going to be like as your were voicing it?

Fanning: I don’t think you really can with this film. It’s more than I ever could have really imiagined. I knew it was going to be so cool looking, and to actually see it; it was actually more than I ever could have dreamed up when I started it. It comes from it’s a really great book, which I’ve read – read a long time ago – and it was great to portray that on the screen. I think when you take the book and you make it into a script and then make it into a movie, it becomes more than you could have ever imagined from just reading the book.

Filmazing: Let’s talk some more about the relatability, Teri. I think now, more than ever, you’ve got women, especially, who are working harder than ever before, and their kids are always wanting something they can’t always provide enough of. You seem to have have done a good job balancing career and family, can you give us some advice?

Hatcher: Well, I think you can’t have everything at the same time. If it looks that easy, it’s not. There’s certainly been career sacrifices that I’ve made. I haven’t really done movies in my haitus, because I’ve chosen to spend that time with my daughter. I haven’t necessarily succeeded in a personal life because, in a way, I haven’t made that a priority and haven’t made as much time for that as it might need. So, I guess, that just goes to show you don’t get to have everything at the same time.

And I think the way I’ve found to not become that mother – that sort of "just stop it, I can’t,” which I understand; that overloaded mother – is that I try to prioritize my time and things so that I don’t end up in that position in the first place. Which would be my advice. Also, I think really to communicate your feelings to your kids. I think we all run around as moms trying to be perfect all the time. All those things we’re feeling – “I can’t keep up, I can’t keep up” – we’re keeping it inside, rather than just sitting down in a calm way and going, “Some days I’m able to do the soccer and make the dinner and to do this and that, but today we need to order a pizza because I can’t do it,” or “today I can’t play Peter Pan with you,” or whatever it is, instead of pushing ourselves. But instead, teach our kids our own limitations, so that becomes part of what we all love about each other. And I think that is in this movie. I think in the end, Coraline sees it, when her mother admits, “I do hate dirt, I hate this, I hate planting these flowers, but I’m out here doing it, and we’re doing it together.” There’s some humor in being honest about your limitations and loving each other for them.

Filmazing: Coraline is a little girl who is like a lot of kids today because so many parents have to both work, so Coraline is really on her own and feels just a little bit neglected. She finds this other world, which is parallel to hers but everything she’s ever dreamed of. Can you tell us about that?

Fanning: I think that, as people, we wish for what we can’t have, and she gets an opportunity to see something better, and it looks so amazing and so beautiful and perfect. And then, you know, it kind of comes round that it’s not as perfect as it seems, and there’s more to it than she sees at first.

Filmazing: Coraline is not your basic little girl who runs around in dresses, she’s a real kick-butt kind of girl, right?

Fanning: She is; she’s kind of a tomboy – and I’m definitely not – so we’re different in that way. I’m definitely more of a girly-girl, for sure. I think that’s the major difference between us. I love to get dressed up. I’ve collected dolls all my life, which is not something Coraline would never do.

Filmazing: But will the come out with a Coraline doll? That’s the question.

Fanning: I’m sure they will. I don’t know. There is sort of a doll theme in this movie. I have one of the little dolls that they gave me that’s in the movie, which is so cute, so that was cool.