ParaNorman is the new feature from the folks at Laika Entertainment, which produced the 2009 Neil Gaiman adaptation Coraline, a damn fine piece of stop-motion filmmaking that actually made good use of 3D.  For the follow-up, Laika is showing no shortage of ambition.  Director and co-writer Chris Butler explains in the featurette, "There was a lot of stuff in the script that was problematic for stop-motion, but that was a reason to do it." 

This video shows new accoutrements like greenscreen and some fancy rigs that facilitate that ambition, but far more impressive is the level of detail involved in creating the title character's environment.  Just take a look at the adorable little props, like a teeny-tiny little double cheeseburger, stacks of newspapers, each individual snack in a vending machine. 

The featurette is viewable here thanks to Yahoo! Movies, where it debuted today.

Norman is an outcast, a misunderstood youngster with no friends except for the the ghosts with whom he the supernatural ability to communicate.  When his small town ends up under threat from zombies and all manner of horrors, it's up to Norman to use the exceptional abilities that made him a misfit to save the town and turn him into a hero.

Kodi Smit-McPhee voices Norman, and the impressive vocal ensemble around him includes Anna Kendrick, John Goodman, Casey Affleck, Leslie Mann, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jeff Garlin, and Bernard Hill.

Chris Butler and Sam Fell direct, with composer extraordinaire Jon Brion providing the score.

ParaNorman arrives in theaters on August 17th.