Volamel
2019-12-10 07:50:54
Branching from that, what was the dynamic like during the cast? What was different in your opinion from casting Overwatch Contenders?
Jake is so knowledgeable about the game. The prime focus of his color casts was about highlighting what the player/team is thinking/trying to do after the fight is done. He doesn’t like to be critical or negative, but rather prefers to describe the intent of the play or highlight the winning team’s decisions. I was ready to be flexible and adapt to the style Jake would present. I like to be more goofy or loose with my casting sometimes, so I toned it back, to focus on a better selling point for our duo: the Overwatch League player analysis.
I wanted to enable Jake as much as possible and enjoyed asking him about his experience at the World Cup and the Overwatch League to fill time between maps. It was also great that Jake transitioned our energy so well from PBP to Color so well, and we adapted so well to each other, despite only practice casting a few weeks before the World Cup.
Gameplay between Contenders and World Cup was pretty similar: very entertaining, well thought out, and some obvious misplays/meme plays here and there. Production between Contenders and World Cup is different. During a remote cast, we don’t always have the program feed, we talk more to the producer, and there isn’t that physical interaction with a co-caster and an audience.
The World Cup had different production setups on each day, and it was nice to have the program feed, and the creative freedom to choose when we wanted to be on camera. We casted a lot of teams with Contenders and tier three players at the World Cup, so I felt right at home talking about players I know. Jake and I standing on large boxes on Saturday’s cast was also a funny experience.
Looking back, what was something that you felt that you two, as a pair, brought to the table that was different from your peers?
Besides Avast, Jake’s experience as an Overwatch League player was important for us to highlight during our cast. He brings a lot of expertise that I felt was unique and delivered in an understandable way to a general audience. As a play-by-play, I dump a lot of energy into my casts and like to make fights exciting. In between maps, I like to put emphasis on a player’s story/origin, what is their goal/what are they trying to prove, and information about them outside the game. Being the only female caster there was also a unique trait of our duo. Every duo at the World Cup brought something different, I was so glad to be part of the team.
I know you’re fluent in French so I’m going to challenge you with this one; could you share your favorite French proverb that relates to your casting? Then, could you translate it and explain the meaning and context?
One that speaks to me is “Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid,” which directly translates to: “Little by little, the bird makes its nest”. This speaks about the patience and perseverance needed to accomplish what you want to do. For me, it’s important to take my time and learn everything I can, and to enjoy the journey. Being too focused on the destination creates a lot of burn out.
Now you’ve lent your voice to a number of Overwatch Contenders regions, but I’m going to ask you a very difficult question; regardless of the reason, what was your favorite region to cover and why?
Contenders South America was the most welcoming, friendly, and passionate region I’ve casted. It was my first Contenders region I got to cover, and it was their first English Broadcast team. The community was very passionate about their region, their teams, and their dreams. When the casters wouldn’t know how to pronounce player names, the teams and community members were very polite and helpful to guide us. Some players and casters gave us their time and expertise to create content about their Contenders region.
Their community was so thankful for the content and our coverage, they understood we were developing casters and gave us good feedback too. The South American team organizing the production was amazing to work with, had a great work ethic, and was always trying to improve and make the casters happy. We had story meetings to build narratives and study teams we had never seen before, and the community and South American broadcast team were so generous in giving us their insight. I got to cast the grand finals for Contenders South America in Season 3 2018, and it was one of the most exciting matches of my career.
I know you got your roots in Call of Duty and with the Call of Duty League on the horizon is there a part of you that is interested in making a return?
I’ve thought about it. I haven’t played the new game though. I enjoy Overwatch so much, and it’s a big-time investment to know the semi-pro and pro-community inside out. I would only consider seriously casting a second game if I’ve perfected my Overwatch casting. I’d rather be a master of one, than a jack of all trades.
Last but not least, you’ve just come back from your vacation in South Korea. With that experience fresh in your mind, could you now reflect back on this past year and describe what it’s been like and what it’s meant to you, not as “LemonKiwi, the professional” but as “Jen, the person.”
I’ve changed a lot and learned so much this year. I’ve matured, gained more confidence, become more patient, and changed my perspectives on life a lot. I’ve tried to not compare myself to others, shifted my energy towards solutions instead of worrying about problems, and let go of a lot of negative things and excuses that held me back. It was an overwhelming year filled with incredible opportunities, the biggest year of my career in terms of professional and personal development. I hope to finish out 2019 strong, and look forward to what 2020 will bring.