Check Out Genevieve Baer’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Genevieve Baer.

Hi Genevieve, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was in love with performing from an early age – especially Musical Theatre. I grew up in Columbia, MD and went to so many theatre camps, took voice and piano lessons, dance lessons, performed in all the school musicals and participated in all the school choirs… I couldn’t get enough of it and (fortunately) my parents were very supportive. I knew I wanted to earn a BFA in Musical Theatre while having a traditional college experience (rather than a conservatory). I earned that BFA in Musical Theatre at Syracuse University and that’s where I was first introduced to voice-acting as a career possibility.

I moved to NYC after college and began auditioning and performing in musicals there and around the country… and I also began taking private voice-over lessons. I created my first voice-over demo right before I moved to Boulder and it was in Colorado that my voice-over career took off. I feel lucky in that I began my career during a time when physically going into recording studios to voice the job was the norm. Back then, the competition was not quite as global and I was able to book work locally and then learn on the job. I absolutely fell in love with the whole creative process. My acting training really came in handy as I knew how to make quick adjustments to my performance while the producers gave me feedback in regards to what they wanted. Going from Musical Theatre to voice-overs was such a natural jump as they both require the ability to act through your voice. Over the years, home studios became the norm and both the competition AND the opportunities increased exponentially.

I now work full-time from my broadcast-quality home studio here in South Boulder. I can connect with clients around the world via a technology called Source Connect and those clients can still direct me in a session if they so choose. I have built up a wonderful list of repeat clientele that keep me busy and am represented by agents around the country who send me auditions for upcoming gigs. I absolutely adore my job! It is always new and always challenging. I get to be creative and use my acting skills every day. And I get to work from home! I am most often in my PJs with at least one of my four pets (two cats and two dogs) in my booth with me. I have even had the joy of introducing my two sons to the voice-over world. This past year my heart swelled with pride as I watched my son “kill it” in his first directed commercial session. There are SO many talented voice actors in this world and the competition is fierce. All I can do is remain grateful and ensure that my clients have a good experience while working with me. I make sure that I am professional, reliable, super fast, positive, and always give 110%.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Is any road ever perfectly smooth? 🙂 I think the challenges of voice-acting are plentiful but always worth it. I was intimidated when I first began the process of creating a home studio and learning how to record and edit from home. It also takes a considerable amount of money to get started. I was lucky in that I had some very knowledgeable and generous colleagues who were willing to give me advice and guidance. Every person that wants to become a professional performer has to get comfortable with rejection. It is simply part of the process and for every job that I book, there are many more that I don’t book.

Learning to not let those rejections affect my self-esteem or my drive has been a journey and one that will probably never end. The VO world is constantly changing and evolving. I am self-employed and cannot rely on anyone else to bring me work. So I am always on my toes. I have to keep up with the changing times and technology; learn how to market myself, continually invest in new and updated demos; continue to branch out into different genres of the voice-over world and the list goes on and on. I definitely have a hard time allowing myself to take time off! It’s wonderful and daunting to be my own boss.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I provide the voice for TV and radio commercials, TV promos, e-learning and corporate narrations, audio tours, and radio imaging, I have even sung some jingles and voiced some toys and games. I became the official female promo voice for NBC and CW Las Vegas this past year. I have a naturally warm and youthful voice. I often get cast as the “young mom”, “witty best friend”, or “compassionate nurse”.

I believe my versatility and flexibility set me apart. Again this is where my acting experience comes in handy. I can quickly access different tones and intentions to best serve the copy. I can improvise and ad-lib to create that “conversational” feel that so many ads are going for these days. I know how to connect with a copy to bring a sense of authenticity, which is so important to every genre of voice-over. I am proud to say that I have been a professional voice actor for about 18 years. I am thrilled to be able to support myself and my family while doing what I love. I am most proud of my repeat customers because that means I am doing something right!

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
There are a ton of voice-over podcasts out there and I’ve gained so much useful information and inspiration from them. There are also some “Pro VO” Facebook groups that have come in handy. When I have a specific question or need a good recommendation, I simply put it out there to the other pros and inevitably get the answers I need. There is a rate guide from the Global Voice Acting Academy that is immensely useful as a guide for pricing various jobs. I spend most of my day working intensely in front of a mic in a tiny 3’x3′ vocal booth, so exercise is hugely helpful for me! One of my favorite trainers has been holding fantastic classes over zoom during the pandemic (https://www.showmeadventures.com/) that have kept me sane and I love the peloton app!

Contact Info:

• Email: gb@gbvoice.com
• Website: https://gbvoice.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genevievebaer_vo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBVoiceLLC
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GenevieveBaerVO