“Little by Little” was inspired by two San Francisco Bay-area middle school students, Jamal Gamal and Lily Gordon. Jamal told Lily about his favorite summertime activity–traveling to Tanzania and delivering donated notebooks, markers and clothing to impoverished children in a small Tanzanian village.
Lily was so inspired by young Jamal, that she decided that rather than receive toys for her 11th birthday, she wanted to provide water to an African village. We think that anytime an American middle school student decides that the choice between providing water to a small African village or getting toys for their birthday, is to provide water to an African village, a lot of people should get to know about her.
“Little by Little” also deserves attention because it approaches the best of the best in what is most excellent about the Internet, i.e. its non-linear nature. In an on-demand world, linearity is out the window. Finally the ADD among us shall rule the earth. But rather than become Ritalin-bound zombies, we have the glorious opportunity to become learned. Online video stories like “Little by Little” shall show us how.
You see “Little by Little” isn’t just a movie. It’s also Macromedia Flash animation website. Other Internet media “players” like Real, Microsoft or QuickTime are really just “play” videos.
Flash animation does that and more. It allows the creator to mix a variety of elements like collage, line art, video footage, games, and text all together in order to create a richer Internet experience for their site visitor. In this particular case, it has the effect of creating an online “pop-up” text book.
A site visitor can surf the site from the beginning (”asili”) to the end (”resources”), or they can skip around to whatever chapter of the story inspires them at that moment. The site offers “text on” or “text off” and “sound on” or “sound off” options for those more interested in reading at their own pace.
Finally, on the .com Dish! site surfin’ Scale “Little by Little” rates an enthusiastic “E” for everyone. You do not get to see inspirational stories like this everyday, but you should.
