From Neighbors (1952) to Harvie Krumpet (2003), Olivier Cotte's lavishly illustrated book explores what makes an Oscar-winning short.

The debate over what defines excellence in animation will probably remain forever unresolved due to its subjectivity. Some may value style over story, or appeal over technical competence. However, certain works of animation do achieve a consensual, rarified status regardless of individual tastes. In his important book Secrets of Oscar-winning Animation, Olivier Cotte proves that there is no one special ingredient or technique that makes such a film special; rather, it is a fortuitous combination of skill, perseverance and inspiration that produces great works, no matter what the medium of production might be.

Cotte, an animator and animation director in his own right, chooses and analyzes the following spate of Oscar winners from 1952 to 2003: Neighbors (Norman McLaren, 1952); Frank Film (Frank Mouris, 1973); The Sand Castle (Co Hoderman, 1977); The Fly (Ferenc Rofusz, 1980); Anna and Bella (Børge Ring, 1985); The Man Who Planted Trees (Frederick Back, 1987), Balance (Christoph and Wolfgang Lauenstein, 1989); Manipulation (Daniel Greaves, 1991); Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase (Joan C. Gratz, 1992); Quest (Tyson Montgomery, 1996); The Old Man and the Sea (Alexander Petrov, 1999); Father and Daughter (Michael Dudok de Wit, 2000); and Harvie Krumpet (Adam Elliot, 2003).

This selection is far from arbitrary; rather, it emphasizes Cotte's point. Every technique used to produce animation is represented: Pixilation, traditional cel animation, and stop-motion puppets are featured alongside cutouts, clay, and computer-generated imagery. Painting and drawing directly on cels are among other methods selected by Cotte; no two films feature the same methodology. The diversity of directors and production methods chosen by Cotte guarantees that any reader, novice or expert, will come away with a profound appreciation of how wide-ranging the art of animation truly is.

Each chapter is divided into sections that include information about the idea or inspiration behind the film, screenplay, animation technique, sets and/or backgrounds, soundtrack, and even technical difficulties. It is here that Cotte's experience with animation pays off for the reader. His explanations are clear and concise, and he does well with complicated concepts such as explaining the soundtrack system Norman McLaren invented for Neighbors, or the challenges in filming for IMAX format. Any reader, for example, who does not grasp the difference between stop-motion and pixilation will surely be enlightened after reading this book. That is, if the reader's attention can be drawn away from the beautiful pages of color plates, stills, storyboards, and sketches presented for each film.

Cotte does not depend solely on his own observations, and his book is enriched by interviews with each filmmaker, and, in some cases, the technical crew. Thus, the reader is supplied with fascinating details about each film: Master composer Normand Roger scored the music for four of these Oscar winners, and for four others as well. The Fly was inspired by a Pink Floyd album. Frank Mouris raided doctors’ waiting rooms and collected trash from friends in order to collect the 500,000 magazine cutout images he needed to complete Frank Film.