Computer-generatedeffectsareoftenblamedforbadHollywoodmovies.Yetwhenacriticcomplainsthat"technologyswampsstorytelling"(inareviewofVanHelsing,callingit"anexampleofeverythingthatiswrongwithHollywoodcomputer-generatedeffectsmovies"),itsaysmoreabouttheweaknessofthestorythanthestrengthofthetechnology.InDigitalStorytelling,ShiloMcCleanshowshowdigitalvisualeffectscanbeatoolofstorytellinginfilm,addingnarrativepowerasdosound,color,and"experimental"cameraangles--otherinnovativefilmtechnologiesthatwereoncecriticizedforbeingdistractionsfromthestory.Itistime,shesays,torethinkthefunctionofdigitalvisualeffects.Effectsartistssay--contrarytothecritics--thateffectsalwaysderivefromstory.Digitaleffectsareapartofproduction,notpost-production;theyarebecomingpartofthestorydevelopmentprocess.DigitalStorytellingisgroundedinfilmmaking,thescriptwritingprocessinparticular.McCleanconsiderscrucialquestionsaboutdigitalvisualeffects--whethertheyundermineclassicalstorytellingstructure,iftheyalwayscallattentiontothemselves,whethertheiruseislimitedtocertaingenres--andlooksatcontemporaryfilms(includingachapter-longanalysisofStevenSpielberg'suseofcomputer-generatedeffects)andcontemporaryfilmtheorytofindtheanswers.McCleanarguesthattoconsiderdigitalvisualeffectsassimplycontributingthe"wow"factorunderestimatesthem.Theyare,shewrites,thelegitimateinheritorsoffilmstorycraft.