Ethically-sourced voice AI for screenwriters on a budget
I was looking for an app that featured ethically-sourced voices that sound more realistic than the system voices on my device, but could also recognize and read screenplays. Tableread uses voices from Acapela Group, which has its own proprietary AI model, and its voice actors are compensated.
The only other option is the pricey but beautiful WellSaid, but it doesn’t recognize screenplays and is cumbersome. Tableread Pro is the only option that ticks every box: ethical, workable, economic.
My only complaint with Tableread is that you cannot turn off autoplay. I assume this is because most people use it to rehearse lines so it’s designed to keep going. I’m a screenwriter, though, so I just want to hear my screenplay read aloud because it helps the writing process.
Overall, it’s a great little app. Would love to see a desktop version that has more options for writers like me, but that’s ok.
The only other option is the pricey but beautiful WellSaid, but it doesn’t recognize screenplays and is cumbersome. Tableread Pro is the only option that ticks every box: ethical, workable, economic.
My only complaint with Tableread is that you cannot turn off autoplay. I assume this is because most people use it to rehearse lines so it’s designed to keep going. I’m a screenwriter, though, so I just want to hear my screenplay read aloud because it helps the writing process.
Overall, it’s a great little app. Would love to see a desktop version that has more options for writers like me, but that’s ok.
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Much better
Helps a lot. Needs tweaks.
Wasn’t diverse at all with the voices
I got the app hoping it would take the characters and give each of them their own voice. I downloaded my script and it was a narrator. The entire script nothing else. And I clicked on the settings for it to not read the names multiple times and it still kept doing it. I assumed that most of this was with the pro version. So I bought the pro version and had the same trouble. Nothing changed and I could only get one voice to narrate the entire thing.
Waste of money.
Waste of money.
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Bummer
Got this app so I can listen to screenplays during car rides and I can’t even do that. It has issues reading the text, formating the text, and even reads the pages out of order. What a shame and waste of time.
Is this a joke?
Been looking for a script reading program. Finally managed to get a script imported, and it wants to SING the script to me in a very computer generated voice. I can't find anywhere to change the voice. I can bring up a big list of voices with preview and download buttons, but no matter what I click on it just sings it to me in the same computer voice. I'll *try* the pro version, but I'm not a professional script reader. I'm a writer who is on the final draft of my script and just need it read to me to pick up errors I may have missed while reading it on paper.
UPDATE: It wasn't clear that the free version used the voice applied to a setting on the iPhone, and not a voice chosen in the app.
UPDATE: It wasn't clear that the free version used the voice applied to a setting on the iPhone, and not a voice chosen in the app.
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Poor quality and impossible to cancel subscription
Don’t get this app.
Very useful but glitchy
I use this all the time to read scripts. Love it I can hike and read a script! But lately it keeps skipping back scenes and I listen and realize I already read that scene so it’s sort of like listening to Groundhog Day. If it would stop going that I would give it 5 stars.
Very useful
I use this all the time to read scripts. Love it I can hike and read a script!
Response from developer
Thanks for the review Nicodermus, much appreciated. Please feel free to reach out to us at tablereaddeveloper@gmail.com if you have any feature requests. (or find any bugs)
Great Tool for Playwrights!
This is an invaluable tool for playwrights. I've used it to get a sense of how my play sounds while I'm still writing it, during the revision process. Of course it's always best to have it read by live actors, but it's not feasible to get something like that together repeatedly, especially in the early drafts.
I can't recommend Tableread enough for use as a revision tool. Well worth the subscription!
I can't recommend Tableread enough for use as a revision tool. Well worth the subscription!
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Useful In A Pinch, Glitchy
I had been looking for a decent reader for scripts so I could listen to them while driving or while unable to devote my attention to a script. This was recommended online through a NoFilmSchool article, so I downloaded it and imported the script easy enough.
The Free version worked well enough, but about 5pages in stopped. It told me I had to wait for an ad to finish playing, but there was no ad. I refreshed the app twice, same issue. I decided to pay the $2.99 to try the Pro version, and luckily the free trial was available.
The Pro version worked much better, but still had some issues. Assigned voices wouldn’t always take, so characters would sound like each other until I manually set them a time or two. The script paused multiple times while playing with my screen off, and when I opened the app would reset to up to 20 pages EARLIER in the script.
The app crashed once, and the overall functionality and navigation reminds me more of a pre-iOS 6 app. Not bad at all, very useful in a pinch, but it isn’t going to be my go-to app for everything in the future if I can find something better.
The Free version worked well enough, but about 5pages in stopped. It told me I had to wait for an ad to finish playing, but there was no ad. I refreshed the app twice, same issue. I decided to pay the $2.99 to try the Pro version, and luckily the free trial was available.
The Pro version worked much better, but still had some issues. Assigned voices wouldn’t always take, so characters would sound like each other until I manually set them a time or two. The script paused multiple times while playing with my screen off, and when I opened the app would reset to up to 20 pages EARLIER in the script.
The app crashed once, and the overall functionality and navigation reminds me more of a pre-iOS 6 app. Not bad at all, very useful in a pinch, but it isn’t going to be my go-to app for everything in the future if I can find something better.
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Very glitchy pro version
Doesn’t remember characters. Voices sound very artificial.
Love it!
They say the quickest way to never hear from someone is to send them a script. It’s sort of true because people hate taking two hours to read. This app reads the scripts and allows me to listen while driving or going on a walk or cleaning.
Response from developer
Thanks for the review Nicodermus, much appreciated. Please feel free to reach out to us at tablereaddeveloper@gmail.com if you have any feature requests. (or find any bugs)
Constantly Crashes
Downloaded this app to learn lines for an upcoming play. Saw all of the features it listed and was going to purchase Pro after trying it out.
Unfortunately, I never was able to use it. When I try to import any script into the app, it immediately crashes. When I re-open the app, it shows that the script is there, but when I try to open the script, it crashes again. All scripts are in PDF files and are able to be opened in similar text parse/reading apps.
If there is a fix to this, I’m happy to give it a try.
Unfortunately, I never was able to use it. When I try to import any script into the app, it immediately crashes. When I re-open the app, it shows that the script is there, but when I try to open the script, it crashes again. All scripts are in PDF files and are able to be opened in similar text parse/reading apps.
If there is a fix to this, I’m happy to give it a try.
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Great app and fast response
The app had a glitch when you couldn’t upload the pdf- but a few days later I noticed an update. When I reached out via the help feature - they were swift to respond and kind to answer! Have been using this app on and off for a few years now- tbh the best app for rehearsing before an audition, a scene, or shoot!
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App crashes when importing scripts
My iPhone 14 pro max is running 16.0.3
The app crashes every time I attempt to import a script or pdf of any kind. I have tried reinstalling and importing scripts from several other methods but all crash the app and the script is never imported.
This makes it functionally unusable on this current phone and IOS version.
Worked great on previous IOS versions. I hope the developers can fix this problem because I like this app.
The app crashes every time I attempt to import a script or pdf of any kind. I have tried reinstalling and importing scripts from several other methods but all crash the app and the script is never imported.
This makes it functionally unusable on this current phone and IOS version.
Worked great on previous IOS versions. I hope the developers can fix this problem because I like this app.
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Very difficult to unsubscribe
I have been trying to unsubscribe for over a month now and customer service has not responded to me. It’s not easy (or possible?) to unsubscribe via the app UI.
Full potential unlocked
I finally got to use the app to its full benefits and it’s a great! I commend the developers for walking me through to make sure I unlocked its full potential.
Love it, could be better
I wish there was a way to specify what was spoken. There are times I want to speed through and only want action lines read. Other times I want to focus on dialogue and don’t want action lines read. Something to consider.
Exactly what I was looking for
Super cool app! I'm not a frequent script-reader by any means but this so gracefully imported my pdf script, picked up all the different characters and narrator
Some UI pieces are a bit quirky but it's because it has so many options!
Helps me listen to a script on my commute
Some UI pieces are a bit quirky but it's because it has so many options!
Helps me listen to a script on my commute
DO NOT OPEN - DAMAGES ALL FINAL DRAFT FILES!!!
I just finished up an episode for a show that I have been working on for 3 weeks straight. Upon downloading this app to hear it read from an outside perspective, EVERY SINGLE FINAL DRAFT DOCUMENT/FILE ON MY COMPUTER WAS CORRUPTED!!! I know for a fact it was this program because it has never happened, in my entire life of 16 years of using final draft, until the very moment I imported my first screenplay into this app.
Save yourself the trouble, I now am going to lose an entire nights worth of writing as FinalDraft office’s are closed so no help is available until tomorrow. DO NOT USE THIS PROGRAM.
Save yourself the trouble, I now am going to lose an entire nights worth of writing as FinalDraft office’s are closed so no help is available until tomorrow. DO NOT USE THIS PROGRAM.
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