October 3, 1996


Cliff Jenks
660 Circle Lane
Lake Forest, IL  60045


Dear Cliff:

I am pleased to offer you the position of Vice  President of Sales and Marketing
for Avid, reporting to me. The components of your offer are as follows:


SALARY

Your salary will be paid twice a month at a rate of eleven thousand four hundred
and  fifty-eight   dollars  and  thirty-four  cents   ($11,458.34   semimonthly;
$275,000.16  annualized).  The initial pay period will be calculated  based upon
actual days worked.


INCENTIVE COMPENSATION

You will be eligible to participate in Avid's  Executive  Variable  Compensation
Program.  Your targeted  incentive will be 50% at achievement of plan (pro-rated
for that  portion of the fiscal  year  actually  worked),  which is based on the
corporation  achieving  its  R.O.I.  objectives.  Your  payout  for 1996 will be
guaranteed  at your  targeted  annualized  rate of 50% for the  remainder of the
year,  pro-rated  for that  portion  of the year  actually  worked.  Your  total
targeted cash compensation is thus $412,500 on an annualized basis. This will be
reviewed in January as part of our Executive Officer salary review.


STOCK OPTIONS

In addition,  you will be issued,  upon hire, an Incentive Stock Option,  to the
extent  permitted  by the  Internal  Revenue  Code,  and the  balance  shall  be
non-qualified  options  (both  with  vesting  over a four  year  period,  and an
expiration  of ten years)  under  Avid's 1995  Incentive  Stock  Option Plan for
seventy-five thousand (75,000) shares of Avid Technology, Inc. Common Stock. The
shares  will be priced at the  NASDAQ  closing  price on the day which you start
work at Avid.


SIGNING BONUS

Avid will also  provide  you with a thirty  thousand  dollar  ($30,000)  signing
bonus, which will be paid to you in your initial paycheck.


RELOCATION

Avid will provide you full relocation,  per our Executive  Relocation  Policy. A
copy of this policy will be sent to you with your hard copy offer letter.


BENEFITS

Avid offers four weeks of paid  vacation  and ten paid  holidays  per year.  The
Company  contributes  75% of the  premium  cost for  medical,  dental and vision
coverage  and 100% of the costs for life  insurance  (in the amount of two times
your annual salary) and long term disability insurance. Additionally you will be
eligible  to  participate  in Avid's  401(k)  Plan on the next  enrollment  date
following your first three months of employment. A benefits summary is enclosed.
Please  call Kelli Boyle in our Human  Resources  department  for more  details.
Kelli can be reached at (508) 640-3297.  Detailed documentation will be provided
on these benefits upon commencement of employment.

This offer is subject to our satisfactory review of all of your prior employment
agreements  for  "non-compete"  clauses  under  which you may be  restricted  in
working  for Avid and upon your  furnishing  proof that you are  authorized  for
employment  in the  USA.  All  Avid  employees  are  required  to  sign  an Avid
nondisclosure  agreement upon acceptance and/or commencement of employment.  You
will also be required to complete an  Immigration  Department I-9 form for which
you will need to bring certain documentation with you to Avid. A copy of both of
these forms is enclosed for your review only;  do not complete  these  documents
until you meet with Human Resources. Please call if you have questions.

All of us at Avid look  forward  to  welcoming  you and I am  confident  of your
potential as a valued and  respected  member of Avid's senior  management  team.
Please  confirm your  acceptance of this  employment  offer by signing below and
returning  one of the  original  two  copies  of this  letter  (in the  enclosed
self-addressed   envelope  or  hand   carried)  to  Judith   Oppenheim   (MARKED
CONFIDENTIAL).

Acceptance of this offer does not  constitute  an employment  agreement and this
letter is not to be construed as a guarantee  of  employment  by the Company for
any specific period or length of time.

If you have any  questions  regarding  the  position,  please do not hesitate to
contact me.

Sincerely,

/s/ W.J. Miller

William Miller
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

/jdc
Enclosures

ACCEPTED:     /s/ C.A. Jenks             DATE:  10-7-96

START DATE: 10-7-96


Addendum to Offer Letter dated October 3, 1996


SEVERANCE AGREEMENT

If  Avid  voluntarily  terminates  your  employment  without  Cause,  or if  you
voluntarily  terminate your  employment for Good Reason,  (i) your initial stock
option grant shall become vested and  exercisable to the extent that such option
would have become  vested and  exercisable  if you had remained in the employ of
Avid for an additional  twelve months,  and such options may be exercised  until
the end of the period during which you are receiving  severance  payments  under
this Agreement, and (ii) Avid shall pay you, in equal semi-monthly installments,
a severance  amount equal to your annual base salary at the time of termination;
PROVIDED  that if  such  termination  occurs  prior  to the  end of your  second
anniversary of the commencement of your employment,  Avid shall also pay to you,
during the second  12-month  period  following  termination,  on a  semi-monthly
basis,  the amount by which your monthly base salary at the time of  termination
exceeds your monthly compensation from your new employer.  During such severance
period (12 or 24 months as applicable), you shall be entitled to continuation of
health insurance and other fringe benefits,  as permissible per plan provisions,
until you find other employment.  "Cause" shall mean willful  misconduct,  gross
negligence or any crime  involving moral  turpitude.  "Good Reason" shall mean a
significant  diminution in your duties or responsibilities or any acquisition of
Avid that results in your no longer  serving as VP of Sales and  Marketing of an
independent public company.