Answers to the questions people most often ask before trying Meldio for the first time. This list will keep growing — if you have a question that isn't covered here, reach out at support@meldio.ai.
Getting started
Can AI read a screenplay?
Yes. Meldio is built specifically to parse standard screenplay formatting — character names on their own line, followed by dialogue — and turn that into performed, multi-voice audio. Both .fountain and .fdx exports, as well as plain text and Word documents, work as input.
How old do I have to be to use Meldio?
Meldio accounts are for adults 18 and over. Teachers, directors and other adults may produce work written by younger writers under their own account.
Do I need to create an account to try it?
You just need a name and email — no approval wait and no credit card required. You can create an account immediately, save projects, and review voices. Verify your email before generating audio.
Can I make a demo before producing my full play or script?
Yes — this is one of the most common ways people use Meldio. Paste in a single scene rather than a full script, and you'll get a fast, informal read of how the dialogue and character voices work before committing more time to a full production.
Characters and voices
Can AI assign different voices to different characters?
Yes. Meldio automatically detects each distinct speaker in your content and assigns a separate voice to each one, so a multi-character scene comes back with genuinely distinct voices rather than one narrator reading every line.
How many characters can Meldio support in one script?
There's no hard cap built into the detection logic itself, though very large casts (a dozen or more speaking characters in one scene) become harder to keep vocally distinct simply because there are only so many clearly different-sounding voices available. For most scenes — two to six characters — this isn't a practical concern.
Can I change a voice if I don't like the one that's suggested?
Yes — every character's voice assignment can be reviewed and changed, with a preview available before you commit.
Content and formatting
Can AI read stage directions?
Meldio's character detection is built around spoken dialogue, not stage directions or action lines. Stage directions are typically excluded from the generated audio rather than read aloud, since including them would interrupt the flow of a performed scene. If you want specific stage direction context reflected in tone or pacing, Meldio's performance direction controls are the better fit.
What file formats can I upload?
Plain text, Word documents (.docx), PDF, and screenwriting-specific formats like .fountain and .fdx are all supported.
Does formatting really matter that much?
For a single narrator, no — paste ordinary text (an article, a letter, a chapter) and Meldio reads it with one narrator voice. For multiple voices, yes — it's the single biggest factor in getting clean character detection. Character names need to sit on their own line, directly above their dialogue, with consistent capitalization. Inconsistent formatting is the most common reason a character gets missed or two speakers get merged into one.
Automatic interpretation and creative control
Do I need to select AI Interpretation separately?
No. With the standard Generate Audio button, Meldio interprets dialogue automatically. Meldio never rewrites your script, and any performance directions you write take priority.
Can I turn automatic interpretation off?
Yes. Choose Literal Reading in the Performance Style box above the Generate Audio button. Meldio then uses only the directions you wrote; lines without one get a natural reading with no added interpretation.
Music and production
Can I add background music?
Yes — you can add a background music cue or song cue alongside your dialogue.
Can I control the pacing or emotional tone of a specific line?
Yes. Meldio automatically interprets undirected dialogue, and you can add a performance direction to any line. Your own directions always take priority.
Privacy and output
Does Meldio keep my script private?
Your uploaded content is used only to generate your requested audio and isn't shared publicly or used to promote other users' work. See Meldio's full privacy policy for complete details.
Is my writing used to train AI?
No. Meldio does not use your scripts or audio to train AI models, and the AI providers that process your work for Meldio are currently not permitted or configured to use it for training. You keep ownership of your writing, and your projects stay private to your account. Deleting a project removes it from Meldio. See the privacy policy for the details.
Can I export or download the finished audio?
Yes — you can download the finished MP3 directly, so you can use it wherever you need — sharing with collaborators, reviewing privately, or using it as reference audio.
Use cases
Is this only for playwrights and screenwriters?
No — while theatrical writing is one of the clearest use cases, the same underlying capability applies anywhere written dialogue needs to become audio: corporate training scenarios, educational content, scripted podcasts, audiobook excerpts, and internal communications all use the same process.
Can I use this for a podcast episode?
Yes. Scripted, multi-voice podcast content works well with the same character-detection and voice-casting pipeline used for dramatic scenes. See the Podcasts use case page for specifics.
Can I use this for corporate training scenarios?
Yes — scenario-based training dialogue (a customer-service call, a roleplay exercise) is one of the more common practical applications, especially for content with a short shelf life that wouldn't justify hiring voice talent. See the Corporate Training use case page.
Length and limits
Is there a limit to how long a script can be?
Shorter excerpts — a scene, a short chapter — render fastest and are easiest to review in one pass, but Meldio also supports longer, multi-session projects for entire long-form works.
How long does it take to generate audio?
For a short scene, generation typically takes well under a minute. Longer passages take proportionally more time.
Can I generate the same script more than once with different settings?
Yes — there's no restriction on regenerating a script with different voice assignments or performance directives to compare results, within the usage limits of your account tier.
Getting better results
Why did my characters get merged into one voice?
This almost always traces back to formatting — inconsistent capitalization of a character's name, or a missing blank line between speakers. See Formatting Your Script for Best Results for the specifics that prevent this.
Can I control how a specific line is delivered — like whispered or angry?
Yes. Meldio automatically interprets dialogue, and you can guide a line with a phrase in asterisks, such as *whispering* or *nervous*, or in parentheses the way scripts are usually written, such as (sharp). Your direction takes priority. See Using Performance Directives Effectively.
My dialogue sounds stiff — how do I fix that?
This is usually a writing issue rather than a voice issue — dialogue written like formal prose tends to sound stiff no matter which voice reads it. See Writing Better Dialogue for AI Narration for specific habits that help.