Avid Studio Toolkit Delivers New Avid FX and 3D Tools, Adds Blu-ray Support.

LAS VEGAS -- Avid Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVID) today announced version 5.5 of Avid(R) Studio Toolkit, which delivers significant enhancements to a set of tightly integrated, industry-leading software applications, including Avid 3D, Avid FX, and Avid DVD by Sonic(TM). Ideal for any content creator using Avid Xpress(R) Pro software -- as well as any system in the new Media Composer(R) family (announced today in a separate release: www.avid.com/company/releases/2006/060423_mediacomposer_avid.html) -- Avid Studio Toolkit delivers new creative toolsets and user interfaces for Avid FX and Avid 3D, as well as enhanced authoring options, including support for the revolutionary Blu-ray(TM) Disc format. With Avid Studio Toolkit, film and video professionals can create more compelling graphics, composites, titles, and effects; distribute completed projects to tape, DVD, or the Web; and ultimately expand the creative services they offer to their customers.

"Avid Studio Toolkit empowers professionals to be even more creative by transforming the world's most popular editing tools -- Avid Xpress Pro and Media Composer -- into state-of-the-art production suites," said Patrick McLean, senior product marketing manager for Avid. "It's the most robust and affordable way for independent professionals to create stunning graphics, composites, titles, and effects for their DV, SD, HD, and film projects before distributing the final versions to HD tape, DVD, and the Web. Blu-ray is one of the hottest new delivery formats to hit the market, and by supporting it in our latest version of Avid Studio Toolkit, we're ensuring that our customers have access to the latest and greatest distribution technologies."

New enhancements to Avid Studio Toolkit v 5.5 include:

--  Updated UI, new paint engine, and more for Avid FX -- providing
    content creators with a complete titling, FX, and compositing
    solution. With Avid FX version 5.5, editors can benefit from:

    --  AVX(TM) 2 support for 16-bit color;

    --  streamlined UI for improved integration and ease-of-use;

    --  a new paint engine for touch up and rotoscoping;

    --  Raster-to-Vector conversion tool for easily bringing corporate
        logos and other graphics into a vector-animation environment,
        including 3D extrusion;

    --  new motion key feature, to remove unwanted objects from the
        frame; and

    --  new subtitling workflow for adding subtitles to their work.

--  Updated UI, new title features and more for Avid 3D -- delivering
    more powerful "3D for the Video Guy," via an updated UI that
    allows any editor to import, animate, and light 3D models and
    create compelling text animations with greater ease. It includes
    directly accessible controls for animation keyframing,
    task-oriented workflow, and new title animation features and
    camera animation. This makes it easier to create text animations,
    import and light models, create unique 3D looks, and export back
    to the Avid editor.

--  Integrated Blu-ray support in Avid DVD by Sonic(TM) -- allowing
    Avid Xpress Pro and Media Composer users to output HDV projects to
    Blu-ray discs. Avid DVD by Sonic offers new HD and 16:9 menu
    support as well as HDMV output, enabling customers to make the
    most of the next generation of DVDs.

--  Expanded I/O with Avid Mojo(R) SDI -- providing digital and analog
    SDI I/O to expand interoperability with mastering quality SD
    cameras and decks (announced today in a separate release:
    www.avid.com/company/releases/2006/060423_xpresspro_avid.html).

Pricing and Availability

Version 5.5 of the Avid Studio Toolkit v5.5 is priced at $1,995 USMSRP and is expected to begin shipping in mid-2006.

About Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games, and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively. For more information about the company's Oscar(R), Grammy(R), and Emmy(R) award-winning products and services, please visit: www.avid.com.

(C) 2006 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice. All prices are USMSRP for the U.S. and Canada only and are subject to change without notice. For prices outside of the U.S. and Canada, contact your local Avid office or reseller for details. Avid, Film Composer, Digidesign, Pro Tools, Avid Xpress, Avid Mojo, AVX and Media Composer, are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Sonic is a trademark of Sonic Solutions. Blu-ray and Blu-ray Disc are trademarks of the Blu-ray Disc Association. Avid received an Oscar statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and Technical Award for the concept, design, and engineering of the Avid Film Composer(R) system for motion picture editing. Digidesign, Avid's audio division, received an Oscar statuette representing the 2003 Scientific and Technical Award for the design, development, and implementation of its Pro Tools(R) digital audio workstation. Academy Award and Oscar are trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Emmy is a registered trademark of ATAS/NATAS. Grammy is a trademark of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.