The Coleman Film era started way back in the sixties, when I went on a Kodak course on photography in London. Cine film was in its infancy and the course touched very briefly on the subject - but I was hooked.

I went on and on about this engaging hobby and, with Christmas approaching, managed to pass on my enthusiasm to John who duly produced my hoped-for present: a brand new 3 turret Kodak Cine camera.

That was it. I saw little of "my" camera from then on. First it was trick photography - a "fairy" film which, to this day, evokes unintended great merriment. From then on John became more and more involved in local projects. When the Lanark Club started we were both founder members. As the Lanark Club progressed, so it produced several adherents to the cine Movement. A few club epics were made - not least of all Heir to a Penny, which had a good report from the Cannes Film Festival. With the enthusiasm of Lanark folk for their annual Lanimer celebrations there were calls for many cameras and helpers to turn out long, boring but valuable-to-many - two hour epics.

Local organisations soon cottoned on to the no-cost value of film shows. Soon John brought out an annual Newsreel - golf, bowling, gala day, agricultural show, Sunday School Outing - until a spare room had to be utilised as a library. These films have become more and more valuable as the years pass.

Shows were then a novelty and very popular. Often they had to be held on consecutive nights to accommodate the numbers. They made substantial amounts for varying good causes, not the least deserving being a fund to replace and protect the beautiful windows smashed in our church by visiting vandals.

Never were John Coleman's skills more valuable - though not to his exacting standards - than when the Vietnamese Boat People came to a local disused school. They spoke no English, had no printed vocabularies nor dictionaries. The one interpreter spoke only Chinese and communication skills were non existent. John organised a method of teaching, used later in other circumstances, and found to be of great value. He filmed ordinary every-day things such as a table, chair etc. The English was repeated several times, followed by one of the Vietnamese saying its Vietnamese name. It was primitive, but effective, and the teachers were full of praise. Films were made in the doctor's surgery, the Post Office, the Supermarket and several important places, all with complete co-operation. Needless to say, it was an expensive exercise but, being a pharmacist, John advertised in the Pharmaceutical Journal and The Pharmacist for out-of-date film stock. The plight of the "Boat People" was well known and the stock flooded in, both out-of-date and new. (Good old pharmacists!)

Quite a lot of money was also donated and two cine projectors, with built-in screens, were purchased. These went from class to class and were used for many months before any teaching aids became available. The effort was much appreciated by the authorities and pupils alike. Many Vietnamese still keep in touch, and only last week one of the first arrivals came to visit.

Lots of odd bits of film were shot for no apparent reason, but became valuable for later use. With Jim Main, who was well informed in his appointment with the electricity supply industry, John shot off to the wilds of Ayrshire early one morning to film the event of a cooling tower being demolished. This became the very valuable "pay off' in a Strathclyde Event competition entry.

John loved his golf, his garden and his music. Perhaps his greatest love was his music and especially the pipe organ. He was frequently asked to play at a neighbouring village and loved it because they had a lovely pipe organ.

John never forgot he was Welsh, although over the years between University, the Army and eventually Carnwath, he had spent more years out of Wales than in it. He always went home at least twice a year and for special occasions.

When the IAC national AGM came to Scotland in 1984 - it was requested that as many as possible sport the tartan for the Saturday evening party. John duly borrowed kilt and all from a friend and he loved it. I well remember his exit from the bath-room in all his glory, when he dropped me a very graceful curtsey. Happy Days! He was heard remarking to someone that evening that he didn't have the good fortune to be born a Scot, but had had the good sense to marry one.

In his chosen profession he was meticulous, but mixed with true caring and compassion. His ready wit and sense of humour made him a very popular chairman in our area and many an explosive situation was diffused by one of his flashes of humour. His passing was mourned by many. He was fun to live with, and he lives on in his films.

- Alison Coleman

This article first appeared in the magazine of the Scottish Association of Moviemakers and is reproduced by kind permission of the author and the magazine editor.

The pictures were all loaned by Mrs. Coleman.  The portrait was taken by Dr. Norman Speirs.  The third picture shows John Coleman on a shoot with "his" Sunday School class.

"Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."

Page updated on 21 March 2008

Authors' views are not necessarily those of The Institute of Amateur Cinematographers

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