Stop spending hours on paper edits.

What is a paper edit, and how fast does Tico do it?

A paper edit is the stage where you read through the transcription and decide what the story is: which quotes go where, what stays and what gets cut. On an interview-based project it normally takes four to eight hours, and it is the part nobody invoices for.

Tico does your paper edit in minutes. It reads the transcription, marks which quotes go where, adds voice overs, and tells you what to cut and what to keep. Every scene comes with a rationale and a timecode, so you go straight to the timeline instead of scrolling through raw material.

How much time does Tico save?

Hours on every programme, and tens of hours on a longer production. The transcription is ready when you stop recording. The paper edit, which normally takes four to eight hours, takes a few minutes. Finding and cutting every quote in the footage is done for you, because the cut list opens in your editor with the clips already in place.

How do the timecodes match my camera?

Tico and your camera both use time-of-day timecode. Every word gets the time it was spoken, so the cut points match your footage as long as the camera clock is set to the correct time. Check it against your phone at the start of the shooting day.

Filming on a phone? Add the video files with “Sync camera files” before you export the cut list. Tico reads when each recording started, matches the log to the sound in the file and moves every cut into the pause between words, to within 1–3 frames. It does not matter when you pressed Take, nothing is uploaded and no tokens are used. With the phone's own camera app, choose “Starts at 00:00:00 (phone)”, because Premiere starts those videos at 00:00:00. With the free Blackmagic Camera app (iPhone and Android), which records time-of-day timecode, export Premiere XML to Premiere Pro, because Premiere does not read that app's timecode. If the video files are not at hand, press Take in Tico at the same moment you start recording.

What languages does Tico support for transcription?

55 languages — every language the Melia 1 speech recognition engine supports.

How accurate is the live transcription — and does it matter?

Tico transcribes in two steps. While you record, the browser shows the text instantly. A few seconds later the professional speech recognition engine Melia replaces it with an accurate transcription: correct punctuation, speakers recognised automatically, and a time-of-day timecode for every word. Rows transcribed this way are marked with a green dot.

The result is accurate enough for subtitles and publication, and it is what makes the exact cut points and the EDL and XML export possible. As with any transcription, background noise and people speaking over each other lower the accuracy — a quiet room and one microphone per speaker give the cleanest text. You can correct any word in the log, and the timecodes stay in place.

Live transcription works best with Chrome, Safari and Edge. You can also paste in or upload a transcription from any external service, and Tico will script that instead.

How long does it take to generate a script?

Usually a few minutes for every 10 minutes of material. You can see the script being written in real time as Tico generates it — so you are never left waiting without feedback.

What is a token and how many do I need?

Tokens are the units of AI processing. The free trial includes 500 tokens. With a licence you get 1000 tokens every week, and you can purchase additional tokens at $2 per 1000.

The number of tokens a script generation uses depends on the length of your transcription or imported raw text. Scriptwriting is highly demanding for AI — Tico analyses your raw material in depth and considers multiple dramaturgical approaches before writing a single line. This thoroughness is what produces professional results, but it does consume more tokens than simpler AI tasks.

Can I use my own transcription instead of Tico's?

Yes. Just copy-paste your transcription or upload any text file — .txt, .srt, .vtt, .csv, .json, .docx and more. If your file contains timecodes, Tico preserves them in the script so your editor can find every shot instantly.

What formats can I export to?

Transcriptions and scripts export to CSV, JSON, XML, PDF, SRT and VTT. The script export includes the full script table with scene names, rationales, timecodes, visuals, audio notes — and optionally a material analysis, logline, synopsis, structure map and production checklist.

For editing, the script exports as a cut list: EDL (CMX3600) for Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Avid, Premiere XML, and FCPXML for Final Cut Pro — at 25 or 29.97 fps. Every clip is cut at the right place with a 0.3-second handle, named after the take's Name in your log, and placed on the timeline in script order. Voice over scenes are left as gaps of the right length.

Does Tico work on mobile?

Yes — Tico is fully browser-based and works on iOS, Android, Mac and Windows. No app to install. On mobile you can log timecodes and transcribe directly from your phone's microphone while filming.

What dramatic structures does Tico use?

You choose: Three-Act Structure, Hero's Journey, Story Circle, Save the Cat, Freytag's Pyramid, Kishōtenketsu, In Medias Res, Nonlinear, HOLD (a four-beat retention structure for short-form video) or News (inverted pyramid). Each structure is applied intelligently to your raw material — not just as a template but as a genuine editorial decision based on what the material contains.

Beyond structure, you can also choose mood and tone, cutting style, narrative perspective, emotional arc, opening and ending style, and specific dramaturgical techniques such as Chekhov's Gun, Foreshadowing, Callback, Dramatic Irony, Cliffhanger, Bookending and Rule of Three. You can also add voice overs — Welcome, Intro Hook, Mid-show Hooks, End Summary and Closing Thank You — each written by Tico in the style and language of your programme.

Can I make different versions of the same material?

Yes, as many as you like. Tico rewrites your story for any genre, any platform and any duration — a 60-second TikTok, a YouTube video or a long documentary each get their own structure. Every version comes from the same transcription and exports to your editor in minutes.

Can I replace Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 with real names?

Yes. Press Speakers on the log page and write the real names. They replace the default names everywhere in the project — the log, the subtitles and the script — and new transcriptions use them too.