We are frequently asked, “What is a Pixel Monkey?”   Here is our answer.

According to legend, the term “Pixel Monkey” dates back to the early days of video games and other computer-generated animation. Computing power was limited and expensive. Companies wanted to produce the highest quality product they could for the least money. The answer came in the form of hordes of low-paid, young workers who were tasked with endlessly “twiddling” pixels, often one-by-one, until just the right effect was achieved. These overworked, underpaid employees were lovingly referred to as “Pixel Monkeys”.

Pixel Monkeys were lured to this vacuous work by management’s empty promise that someday, if they labored hard and diligently, a Pixel Monkey might by promoted to the coveted position of master animator or programmer. Thus, the Pixel Monkeys blissfully toiled away keeping one eye on their work while the other longingly gazed at the desk of the master they dreamt to one day become.

Unfortunately, rather then being modern day apprentices, Pixel Monkeys were the equivalent of modern day cannon fodder. Companies viewed them not as valuable resources to refine and develop, but rather as low-cost, expendable widgets to be discarded once no longer useful.

However, our tale does have a happy ending. Back in 1995, in the days when the Internet was still powered by coal-fired, steam engines, we created Pixel Monkey Productions to exploitliberate these unsung heroes of the digital revolution and give them the low pay respect and overwork glory they deserve.

Unfortunately, as with most plans built on noble aspirations, we did not quite achieve our stated goal. Instead of liberating the Pixel Monkeys, we have found ourselves befallen of their same fate as we toil alongside them delivering work of unbelievable quality to our clients at absurdly low prices.

You thought this was going to be a literary piece?  Forget it — it’s an ad!