"Caution automatic barrier, stand well clear!"The voice is strong and clear with a manly northern accent and I am convinced it is the performance poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan. I wonder whether there are other such examples of artistes who, perhaps having fallen temporarily upon hard times, have taken up the offer of voice-over work. Or perhaps there are hundreds of voices belonging to undiscovered talents who might be the next Johnny Depp or Jane Horrocks (I'm sure I heard her in a lift recently warning me that the doors were closing).
I think I'll start recording and saving these apparently innocuous voices and for when these people are famous - they could be worth a fortune. I mean look at those Paris Hilton tapes: they certainly made someone a lot of money didn't they?
On the other hand there might well be a market among the better Blue Chip companies for this type of voice over. I mean, can you imagine the Kudos when Eddie Stobart, talking to one of his rich transport peers over cocktails says:
"Yes, it was quite a coup getting Tom Baker to do 'Caution Vehicle Reversing' he is so good you know; so authoritative, people just jump out of the way of the wagons"
Or imagine being alone with Joanna Lumley's voice in a lift; you'd never leave!
Who would you have to do your voice overs?...while you think about it I'm off to start a new company with my new stunningly good idea. Next time you are in a lift and hear a famous voice think of me: I'll be living somewhere posh on the fruits of my new idea.
