Mike Coleridge film in colour - F04184

The first colour films shot by Defence Public Relations (DPR) in Vietnam were by Sergeant Mike Coleridge (1933-2012). Though colour film was used extensively by the United States military, it was not used by Australia's DPR. DPR footage was destined for television news release and television at that time in Australia was black and white. Sergeant Coleridge on his own initiative bought some rolls of 16mm colour Kodachrome and shot three DPR TV news stories. While Sergeant Coleridge's use of colour did not go down too well with his superiors in Vietnam the footage was well received at Army Press, Canberra. The high standard of the images was acknowledged and the footage was seen to be the start of what could be a colour short documentary on Civic Aid in the manner of a previous black and white DPR documentary "Vietnam Scene" (AWM film F03412). On the orders of Army Press, Canberra, further colour was shot by Sgt Kevin Thurgar and Sgt Richard Crothers (AWM films F04186, F04187, F04188), however the proposed documentary was never made.

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• Vietnam
• Mike Coleridge