LIFE STORY
I finished my Law degree at the University of Coimbra Law School, in 1994.
During my student life, I worked in the University canteens, in the offices, in the grape harvests in the south of France, I played theatre, I gave tennis lessons, I was a student leader, president of a section of the AAC and also of the Coimbra Tennis Association. I took tennis for free to children in the most disadvantaged economic situation, in a programme that I carried out with UNICEF.
I did my professional internship in Porto, at the law firm Jorge de Amorim & Associados, and received my professional license as a lawyer, number 6372, on 27 February 1997.
During this time I did voluntary work at the APAV, attended the Post-Graduate Course in Medical Law at the Biomedical Law Centre of the Coimbra Faculty of Law and did the Specialisation Course in Criminal Sciences at the Porto Catholic University Faculty of Law.
At the end of 1997, I suspended my professional license and went to London to take a course in Cinema, a long-standing passion of mine. I returned to Portugal in 2015.
During those years, I did countless jobs, in front of and behind the camera in films of all kinds of budgets, from Hollywood to Bollywood, advertising and music videos, having been awarded in all categories.
In Barcelona I was responsible for co-productions and sales at Bruta Escena (2002-2005); in New York I did advertising for Madley Creative (2005-2008).
As an actor I made my acting debut in 1999 in the BBC series Sunburn, playing the role of a fisherman, romantically opposite Sharon Small. That year, I was also a stunt double in Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang and a Roman Soldier in Ridley Scott's film Gladiator.
I gained a combat diploma, specialised in swords and daggers, from the British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat. For Ridley Scott I worked again on Robin Hood and Exodus. Among others, I worked on films by Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan), George Lucas (Star Wars I) and Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men). Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella was the last major production I worked on.
As a director, I made my first short film Zero in London in 2000. The film was presented in over 50 festivals around the world, it was awarded at the very first one, Huesca Short Film Festival in Spain. The following film, the feature Akasha, made in 2001, was distributed in Russia, nominated for the Méliès d'Argent (best European fantastic film), premiered in Portugal at Fantasporto and in the USA at the Atlanta Film Festival.
My first music video, Melancholic Ballad, for the Fingertips, was number one on Sic Radical, playlisted on Sol Musica and MTV and won the Lousa 2009.
In 2006 I directed the English model Jackie Degg in the film Remember my Dream; in 2008 I was in Cannes with the film Women, Bah!
In April 2017 the music video Coração Vadio, for Sandra Correia, was Best Music Video at the International Portuguese Music Awards.
In NYC, I was a production assistant on Charlie (2006), by Salvatore Interlandi; during my internship at Globalvision, I shot parts of the documentary 9/11 Press For Truth; I was second assistant director on On The Other Side (2006), by Shanti Chilumala; first assistant director on The Bomb (2007) by Ted Wallach, and I also provided the voice for the Apple campaign.
Returning to Portugal, I have produced television and music to date. The album Perspectiva (2015), by Sandra Correia was my first production in the area of music. From it, the music video Coração Vadio, won Best Photography award at the Arouca Film Festival, Best Music Video at the International Portuguese Music Awards 2017 and was Play List on RTP Internacional and CMusic TV. The album Aqui Existo (2018) is the next album. From that album, Aqui Existo is nominated Best Fado 2018 at the International Portuguese Music Awards, Tarde Demais receives a nomination in 2019 and the album is nominated Best World Traditional Album at the Independent Music Awards 2019.
I produced Sandra Correia's 2019 concerts at Tivoli Theatre and Trindade Theatre; I worked on programmes on Channel 11 and RTP, such as the series Começar de Novo, Novo Mundo Digital and the entertainment programme Virar o Jogo; I directed music videos, did cultural programming and booking.
Gradually I returned to the Law, providing legal advice to the artists I represented, as well as to some Fado houses, analysing and resolving contractual issues, incorporation of companies, work contracts.
I am Legal Director of Alphabet Factor Lda, since November 2020.
I am an Accredited Expert at EECEA (European Education and Culture Executive Agency), European Commission, in the area of Cinema, since March 2021
email: jcm@menezesentertainment.com
AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
2019 Independent Music Awards, NYC – Best Traditional World Album - nominated (“Sandra Correia – Aqui Existo”)
2019 International Portuguese Music Awards – Best Fado - nominated (“Sandra Correia - Tarde Demais”)
2018 International Portuguese Music Awards – Best Fado - nominated (“Sandra Correia - Aqui Existo”)
2017 International Portuguese Music Awards – Best Music Video (“Sandra Correia - Coração Vadio”)
2016 Arouca Film Festival – Best photography (“Sandra Correia - Coração Vadio”)
2010 Fantasporto Film Festival – Prémio de carreira
2009 Arouca Film Festival – Best Music Video (“Fingertips - Melancholic Ballad”)
2009 Tokyo – Best Urban Comercial (“Met Tower”)
2004 Eureka – selected (“Penta”)
2004 ICAM – won (“Serial Killer”)
2003 Fantasporto Film Festival - Internacional Jury
2001 Méliès D'Argent - nominated ("Akasha”)
2000 Huesca Film Festival – Special Award (“Zero”)
PRODUCTION
2020 Doc João Villaret – RTP
2020 Doc Guilhermina Suggia – RTP
2020 Doc Francisco Lázaro – RTP
2019 Filme Bruno Vieira do Amaral
2013 Filme Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Coimbra - Um espaço único
DIRECTOR
2021 Pub iNetPet: Because you love your pet
2021 Live Sandra Correia - Aqui Existo (RTP1)
2020 Music Video Sandra Correia - Mãe Tristeza
2020 Music Video Patrícia Martins - Lábios nos Lábios
2020 Music video Sandra Correia – Tarde Demais
2020 Music video Sandra Correia – A Vida Por Ti
2019 Music video Sandra Correia – História Mal Contada
2019 Music video Cristina Madeira – Acorda-me o Desespero
2019 Music video Cristina Madeira – Já Não Choro
2019 Music video Sandra Correia – Das Horas Abandonadas
2018 Music video Sandra Correia – Aqui Existo
2018 Live Sandra Correia - Filarmonia no Fado (RTP1)
2017 Music video Carlos Leitão – Sexta-feira
2015 Music video Sandra Correia - Coração Vadio
2014 Live Pedro Vilar @ Cine-teatro Sá da Bandeira
2013 Live Manos Ramos @ Cine-teatro Sá da Bandeira
2012 Music video Rapariga Eléctrica - Querida Sara
2012 Live Manos Ramos @ Ritz Club
2012 Live Miguel Ramos @ Casino de Espinho
2012 Live Sandra Correia @ Feira de Artesanato do Estoril
2011 Curta Fado
2011 Music video Rapariga Eléctrica - Tens de sair
2011 Music Video Cordeone – És a única
2010 Music video Cordeone – K vida
2010 Curta Loucura - Fantasporto
2009 Live Sandra Correia @ Cine-teatro António Lamoso
2008 Curta Mulheres, Bah!
2007 Music video Francisco Capelle – Como sempre fui
2007 Publicidade Met Tower
2006 Curta Remember My Dream
2006 Curta Agur
2005 Live Fingertips Live Act
2005 Music video Robbie Williams - The 80's
2004 Curta O Serial Killer
2004 Music video Fingertips – Melancholic Ballad
2001 Longa Akasha
2000 Curta Zero
ACTOR - CINEMA
2020 Just a Compliment Mr Grey (VR) Maria João Abrantes
2015 Cinderella Ball dancer Walt Disney/Kenneth Branagh
2014 Exodus Moses Army Universal/Ridley Scott
2014 Maleficent Palace Guard Walt Disney/Robert Stromberg
2013 I give it a year Client Studio Canal/Dan Mazer
2011 Robin Hood Soldier Universal/Ridley Scott
2010 Prince of Persia Trumpeter Walt Disney-Jerry Bruckheimer/Mike Newell
2010 Loucura Bruno ME!/JCM
2010 Clash of the Titans Soldier The Zanuck Company/Louis Leterrier
2009 Dorian Gray Soldier Oliver Parker
2008 Mulheres, Bah! VO ME/JCM
2008 Orange Wednesday Man (lead) LFA/Catalina Devia
2007 28 Weeks Later Infected Fox/Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
2006 Children of Men Terrorist Universal/Alfonso Cuarón
2006 Fatal Instinct 2 Soho Cool MGM/Michael Caton-Jones
2005 V for Vendetta Soldier Warner Bros/James McTeigue
2005 Quality Indigo Ray, the Hitman Troubled Children Films/Jaspreet Grewal
2005 Incessant Clown Take 9/Yasmin
2005 Armed for Glory Man (lead) Blind Productions/Julia Sandberg Hansson
2004 Serial Killer Jorge Guimarães ME!/JCM
2000 Chocolate Gipsy Miramax/Lasse Hallstrom
2000 Gangster Nº1 Witness FilmFour/Paul McGuigan
2000 Honest Hippy Pathé Entertainment/Dave Stewart
1999 Zero Man (lead) ME!/JCM
1999 Sleepy Hollow Aristocrat Paramount Pictures/Tim Burton
1999 Star Wars: Episódio I Naboo Fighter Pilot LucasFilm/George Lucas
1999 Notting Hill Journalist Working Title/Roger Mitchell
1999 The Mummy Stevedore Universal/Stephan Summers
1998 Saving Private Ryan US Soldier Amblin-DreamWorks/Spielberg
1997 Inquietude Convidado Madragoa Filmes/Manoel de Oliveira
ACTOR - TV
2001 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Begger Channel 4/Whittaker
1999 Sunburn Luis BBC/Dan Zeff
1999 Jonathan Creek: Miracle in Crooked Lane Fan BBC/Richard Holthouse
1999 Cleopatra Palace Minister Hallmark/Franc Roddam
1999 Tube Tales Witness Sky Pictures/Gaby Dellal
STUNTS
2005 Perfect Day Double Channel 5 Television/David Richards
2000 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Gangster (Stunts) Pagoda Films/Stewart Sugg
2000 The 10th Kingdom Stunts Hallmark/David Carson
1999 Gormenghast Stunts BBC/Andy wilson
PROFISSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Lisboa 2021 Editing – Renault Mudamos Juntos
Lisboa 2020 Editing - André Santos & Amélia Muge
Lisboa 2020 Assistent Director – Começar de Novo - RTP
Lisboa 2019 Cameraman – Novo Mundo Digital - RTP
Lisboa 2019 Assistent Director – Virar o Jogo - Canal 11
Lisboa 2018 Cultural Booking @ El Corte Inglès
NYC 2005-2008 Production – Madley Creative
NYC 2007 Voice over - 7 TV Adverts Apple
NYC 2006 1º AD “Dirty Bomb” - Blind ID Prod/Ted Wallach
NYC 2006 2º AD “On the other side” - Trinity/Shanti Chilumala
NYC 2006 Internship (3 months) - Globalvision
NYC 2005 AP “Charlie” - Weigel McCleiland/Salvatore Interlandi
Barcelona 2002-2004 Co-productions & Distribution - Bruta Escena
Londres 2005 Camara Assistent “Poker Academy” - Richard Pengelley
Londres 1998 Continuity “Waves without sound” - Piobaire Fr Prod/Brit Fitzpatrick
Londres 1998 Sound Assistent “Maddest Man” - Hangman Prod/Mark Fortune
Porto 1996 Lawyer
WRITER
The Diary of Luscilia – a musical love story
Penta – the adventures of 5 women in a surreal night
The Other Side of the Rainbow – a very colourful romantic comedy
SAD – a very peculiar CIA Dvision
O Cantinho da Saudade – The Club where a bunch of Portuguese gangster get together.
Maria – the search for a criminal in 13 episodes
EDUCATION
2008 Creating a business plan and budgeting (Raindance, London)
2005 Unarmed & rapier & dagger (British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat)
2008 Directing for film and tv, with Patrick Tucker (Raindance, London)
2005 Audio work (City Lit, London)
2004 Singing for actors (City Lit, London)
2003 Creative Writing (Escuela de Escritores/Taller de Escrita de Madrid)
1999 Avid Editing (London Electronic Arts, London)
1999 Shooting on DV (Raindance, London)
1999 Lo-to-No Budget Filmmaking (Raindance, London)
1998 Filmmaking (Panico Studios, London)
1997 Pos-Graduation in Medicine Law (Faculdade de Direito de Coimbra)
1996 Specialization in Criminal Sciences (Universidade Católica Porto)
1995 Law Professional Internship (Adv. Jorge de Amorim/ Ordem Advogados Porto)
1994 Law Degree (Universidade de Coimbra, Faculdade de Direito)
1991 Theatre practical course (TEUC, Coimbra)
LANGUAGES SPOKEN
Fluent in English, Spanish and Franch
OTHER WORKS
2006-2009 translator ENG-PORT-ENG among others for ONU and Chevron. NYC, USA
2008 Tennis Instructor @ Andy Keen Children Tennis Academy, London
2006 Director “Cuentos sueltos” – theatre “Los de La Otra Orilla”, Barcelona
1993 Tennis Instructor @ INE, Portugal
1989/91 Tennis Instructor @ AAC (inc. program @ UNICEF for children)
