The voice of Masterchef is set to make a local film go viral for a cause very close to his heart.
You may not know Lofty Fulton’s face but if you have watched TV in Australia in the last 20 years or so, you will have heard his voice in everything from ads for Coke and Toyota to the current season of Masterchef – Lofty has a voice that Australians know well and this week he will put his mouth where his money is when he plays a one-armed-bandit in local filmmakers Cloudcatcher Media’s short film Welcome to the Machine.
Lofty, who has himself has put more money in a pokie machine than some folk spend on a house, knows how life threatening this form of ‘entertainment’ is. His recently published book, Lofty: My Life in Short, delves into Lofty’s life and amongst other things, his battle with a poker machine addiction.
This was the reason that this very sought after international voice performer agreed to be in the short film which is due for release in the middle of the year.
The film’s director David Lowe is very excited about the prospect of woking with Fulton.
‘We’re thrilled to have a voice every Australian has heard and loved in this role,’ he said. ‘Lofty’s own history with the pokies (he ultimately defeated the machines and got his life back) means this issue is very personal for him, and will add something very special to the film.
‘The fact is that it doesn’t matter how smart or successful you are, this is an addictive technology that can cut anyone down.’
The Welcome to the Machine film project is very important to the Cloudcatcher team and is something that has been close to their hearts for a long time.
Lowe lost a school friend to gambling in the form of poker machines many years ago. Suicide from gambling is not uncommon.
This has weighed heavily on Lowe ever since. He has written a long-form drama treatment which he hopes to one day make a reality.
In the mean time, this GoViral! short film through Screenworks and Create NSW, is a brief look at this insidious evil.
Also appearing in the film will be Melia Naughton from the Northern Rivers sister duo Scarlett Affection, and more recently leading the Shire Choir.
The film will be shot this week in Byron Bay – for more information visit GoViral at Screenworks.
To find out more about Lofty’s book, visit his website.
