Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546054
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 121 (DAR) was then formed and expanded the work of the engineering group. However, instead of focusing on Dialogue Replacement at the start, we turned our attention to developing a more multipurpose, revolutionary multitrack, disk-based audio editing system. I had the fun of defining all the operations on paper, to be based around a large touchscreen, task control buttons, two rotary knobs for scrubbing and parameter changes and other controls. That new system, the SoundStation, was launched in late 1987, but WordFit was put on the "back burner" while SoundStation II was being constantly improved and was sold into hundreds of studios worldwide. And once the SoundStation became more established, WordFit was easily converted into an "add-on" software option, which was offered in 1991, that could make use of the advanced signal processing and dedicated audio handling that the SoundStation provided. The processing unit also had all the necessary ADR studio control signals, inputs and outputs, to work alongside the existing ADR studio video or film equipment. The WordFit option now was a fraction of the original WordFit system, but still £15,000, but it became deployed in a more widespread manner as a result. Although Wordfit was still restricted to DAR SoundStations, it was now also going into music recording studios, and being used to align mutlitrack vocals, as well as being used for film and video lip-syncing. DAR was subsequently acquired by Carlton Communications in 1986, which allowed the team to continue refining the WordFit hardware and algorithms know-how. As WordFit had been used on several films of the time, both Universal and Warner Bros. purchased units in 1995 and DAR continued to grow and produced its flagship product, the DAR SoundStation 2, the first DAW to incorporate an iPad-sized touchscreen in a dedicated control console, and which also incorporated the unique WordFit process. I left DAR in 1994 and started Synchro Arts, but negotiated the rights to use the "WordFit" algorithm that I created. But, we had agreed to rename the process. In doing so, I allowed to continue development of the WordFit signal processing algorithms which simplified syncing for words to lip movements and tightening double- track vocals for musical applications. After John Ellwood joined to be our technical director, we were admitted to the new Digidesign family of plugin Software developers for Pro Tools, and developed and released the first version DAR controller sketch