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Private company

MacroMind

Logo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Software company

MacroMind was an Apple Macintosh software company founded in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Canter, Jamie Fenton and Mark Stephen Pierce. The company's first product was SoundVision, a combined music and graphics editor. Before the release, the graphics editor was removed, and SoundVision became MusicWorks and the animation creativity tool VideoWorks (which later became Director).2 It ceased to exist in 1992.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1984Founded1
  • Industrysoftware industry1

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MacroMind was an Apple Macintosh software company founded in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Canter, Jamie Fenton and Mark Stephen Pierce. The company's first product was SoundVision, a combined music and graphics editor. Before the release, the graphics editor was removed, and SoundVision became MusicWorks and the animation creativity tool VideoWorks (which later became Director). Along with other early programs, MusicWorks and VideoWorks were originally published and distributed by Hayden Software.2

The story

Founded by Jamie Fenton and Marc Canter in 1984.1

Leadership

Who has led MacroMind, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

MusicWorks (1984) - music composer

VideoWorks (1985), VideoWorks II (1987) and VideoWorks Interactive - multimedia animation software

Art Grabber/Body Shop (1985) - clip art software

Comic Works/Graphic Works - object based paint program

Read the full text

VideoWorks accelerator - animation compiler for VideoWorks files

MazeWars+ (1987) - multiplayer network game based on the classic Maze War

Director (1987) - new name for VideoWorks II

Director 2 (1988) - VideoWorks Interactive when released as a commercial product

Director 2.2 (1989 - Introduction of Lingo (programming language), an extensible animation scripting language

Director 3 (1989), and introduction of XObjects

Three-D (1990) - 3D modeling and animation software

MacroModel

Renderworks (1990) - rendering software for Three-D files MacroMind at Google Books

Fireworks (1990) - post-production software for Renderworks renderings

Mouse Practice (1992) – a tutorial on how to use the mouse where the user controls a scuba diver

From Wikipedia’s article on MacroMind, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1992Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1984Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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