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On The Death of a Friend – Sel Colquhoun 1938 - 2022
by Kev Franzi

In a very long lifetime I’ve been privileged to meet and work with many truly wonderful
people. Sel Colquhoun was one of them and one of my dearest friends who for over 30 years
guided me through the transition from the wonders of reel to reel film technology – a passion
we both shared – to the wonders of computers and digital technology that we embraced with
great reluctance – until Sal discovered the secrets of mastering the beast and releasing the
wonders of its potential.

Sel and I both shared a Scottish ancestry that gave us a love of technology and a passion for
the highest quality reproduction of image and sound – at the lowest price possible – a
challenge that Sel loved and pursued with great vigour and a process that I and many others
would benefit from because helping others with their technical problems was a challenge he
always enjoyed.
Of course the word soon got out and all kinds of 16 and 35mm motion picture machinery
arrived in his workshop for repair and rebuilds – including sound systems – plus all the gear
he was making for his own use and mine – like film printers and processing machines. I
believe there was not a machine dead or alive that Sal was not prepared to tackle.

His “Day Job” was Technical Manager of Pro Lab in Brisbane providing top quality process-
ing and printing services for professional photographers that was always required “Yester-
day”. Another “Full On” job.

One tool of great value to Sal was an old but cute little lathe that he discovered under a pile of
old scenery at the back of Ron West’s Majestic Theatre in Pomona Qld. When said lathe was
restored to “As New” Sel taught himself the skills of turning and fitting – precision turning
and fitting -- that were put to the test when a stream of Bell and Howell projectors arrived at
his workshop requiring a new main drive worm gear. Mmmm – said Sel and he soon had a
simple answer.
This is just a fraction of the ways Sel and his wife Sue enriched the lives of other people. My
Movie Museum and CinemaWorks operation would not exist today without his support and
inspiration. Sadly, he did not live to see my latest project – A unique Resource Centre for
Image Makers – but I’m sure the Big Man with the even bigger smile would have enjoyed the
way his legacy is being celebrated to inspire another generation. One of the last things he said
to me was – “You know Kev – we are so lucky to have lived long enough to experience the
wonders of digital technology and the things you can do with it.” THANKS SAL AND
SUE! for sharing that wonderful experience with me ---.
Rest in Peace Mate – You will be sadly missed.
Kev. Franzi.
Long-time readers of this little magazine will remember Sel Colquhoun from his regular
advertising of the metal worm gears he produced to replace the troublesome nylon gears in a
number of Bell & Howell 16mm projectors. His ingenuity and skill produced a perfectly
machined replacement, which he proudly advertised as having a “life-time warranty”.
- Mike Trickett

REEL DEALS September 2022 3