Jeanne Jaeger – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories
Womenize! – Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition, we talked to Jeanne Jaeger, Localization Director, Voice Talent & Founder. She speaks about her journey from voice acting to directing in game localization, her creative approach to performance and authenticity, and her mission to empower both artists and women to fully express themselves with confidence. Read more about Jeanne here:
Hi Jeanne! You started as a professional voice talent and later moved into directing and post-editing for German video game localization on major titles. What motivated you to step from behind the microphone into a leadership role, and what new creative power did that unlock for you?
With time, I became a real pro in my field as a voice actor. I worked with many directors and wanted to contribute to the process from that perspective as well. With more impact as part of the production team. So, I kept knocking on doors, knowing I could do it. When the doors opened, I was the director I had always wished to work with myself. I know the artists’ tender souls and how to bring out the best of them. Always the experience of the people in mind who will listen to what we are creating. Listening to our creation in real time as if I were consuming it myself. I learned that the deep knowing that I’m one hell of a director wasn’t just some wish but the truth! Voice actors radiated joy when the session was done because there was so much magic unleashed!
You’ve helped bring huge game worlds to life for German audiences. How do you balance staying true to the original performance while creating something that feels authentic and emotionally resonant for a different culture and language?
First and foremost, I respect the original writers’ and voice actors’ performance. I trust that they had something in mind when creating the dialogue. Keeping the German version as close as possible to the original in tone and expression seems to bring a restriction, but it gives immense freedom because the performers can act out shamelessly in the best way within that given structure. They have a secure setting in which they can put their skills to the fullest. This brings an unbelievable amount of joy. Same for the language. For example, the atmosphere and setting for a world with lots of slang, like for the game “Fallout”, gives the creative mind so many possibilities to run down the rabbit hole of German expressions like those you may perhaps still know from Bud Spencer movies.
How does voice acting for video games differ from working in other genres, like animation or film? Are there unique challenges or techniques involved?
In games, there seem to be no limits regarding expression. That’s why I love this genre most! Exaggeration doesn’t feel over the top but just right! Playing it out makes the whole experience radiant for the gamer on all levels. They get to have interactions with characters that make the atmosphere and the gameplay most enjoyable. Always having this in mind, the work in the studio bringing the characters to life, is just fun. The dedication is in carving out the characters’ essence to the top. Normally, this means to push the voice actors out of their comfort zone a little, because for other genres, there is always some kind of “that’s too much” attitude. But in games, I have the feeling, it can never be too much if it’s well done. It’s a special world that is intense, non-realistic, and makes us leave the real world like no other medium. So, whatever voice actors have learned before, in my opinion, doesn’t apply in terms of etiquette rules.
In terms of factual techniques, games are most challenging when the localisation has to be as much in synch with the original as possible. Oftentimes, we don’t have visible footage like in film dubbing, but only the peak files of the DAW. So, to achieve the best results, the whole team has to be capable of uniting role play expression, timing to the millisecond, sound amplitudes, and audio waves in one piece of art in each and every take.
With Squirtess, you stepped into a completely different space and created something focused on women’s self-exploration and confidence. What gave you the courage to found Squirtess, and how does this project reflect your broader vision of helping women claim their voice, both in their bodies and in their careers?
There was a point during the journey when I wondered if this field would damage my existing career. But I couldn’t help seeing it through because I always felt it had great value and importance. It was my responsibility to go beyond fear. By claiming my own sensuality, I understood that this must be normalized for every woman! We are goddesses who have forgotten our powers, and my special sensual topic inevitably unlocks them. This nurtures every field in life automatically, which is something we can actively and consciously use for ourselves!