The twenty-five films collected here represent the first steps of many of the most acclaimed directors working in animation today. While some of these early efforts are tentative experiments-exploring what could be done with specific techniques or new technologies-others are complete stories, already reflecting the director's narrative sensibility and personal perspective. In all cases, they provide a privileged peek into the formative processes of filmmakers who, during the past thirty years, have taken animation to new heights, creating some of the most enduring, entertaining films in the history of motion pictures.