Mário Melo Costa studied Sculpture in the Faculdade de Belas Artes de Lisboa and in the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia and developed his cinematography and video skills in several courses as the Kodak Film Academy in Paris (2003); the Advanced Cinematography Course with Rudolfo Denevi in Cuba (2005). 

 

In 2005, published with Tony Costa for AIP – Portuguese Cinematographers Association and Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema, “Métodos e Procedimentos do Assistente de Imagem”.

 

He works as a Cinematographer and Director since 2003 both in commercials, fiction and documentary. 

In 2008 he won the prize for Best Cinematography in VIMUS, International Music Video Festival, for Dead-Combo video-clip - "Putos a Roubar Maçãs" directed by Alexandre Azinheira.

 

For the Luxembourg 2007 and theTraffik Theatre created a video installation for the play "Patterchen D." directed by Ela Baumann.

 

From 2007 created animation films and video installations for several musical projects by Ela Bauman with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra such as  "Goldilocks" by Kurt Schwertsik,  "Till Eulenspiegel" by Richard Strauss, the  children project with excerpts by Mozart "Auf Reisen mit Mozart", "Olé" with excerpts by Debussy and Ravel. Also for the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra created in collaboration with Ela Bauman and Daniel Tanson (Traffik Theater) the children's production "Le Carnaval des Animaux" by Camille Saint-Saëns. "Mausemarchen und Riesengeschichte" for Grand Theatre du Luxembourg and Company of Music Vienna composed by Elisabeth Naske.  

 

Did also video installations for contemporary opera productions as "O Defunto" by Daniel Schvetz directed by Erica Mandillo outset in Almada Auditorium (Portugal), "Trouble in Tahiti" by Bernstein and "The Roughcastsong" by Frank Nuyts both directed by Caroline Petrick for the Flanders Opera Studio in Gent and Rotterdam, "La Strada" by Luc van Hoveand directed by Waut Koeken for the Vlaamse Opera in Antwerp and Gent, "Rosmersholm" directed by Gonçalo Waddington for CCB - Centro Cultural de Belém and "Der Turm" directed by Waut Koeken for GTL, Grand Theatre du Luxembourg.

 

In collaboration with Claude Lenners, created the film "[tʃes]" (Chess) for the Rainy Days Festival 2012 in the Philharmonie, Luxembourg.

 

Also in 2012 he won the prizes for Best Cinematography and Best Editing in Shortcutz, Short Film Festival in Lisbon, for João Leitão’s film - The Great Monteleone.

 

He teached in 2012, Audiovisual Production in ESAD - Escola Superior de Artes e Design Matosinhos - Where he also gave workshops and masterclasses for post-graduated students.

 

In 2013 he worked has a Cinematographer and Editor for João Leitão’s feature film - Capitão Falcão.

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In 2014 he filmed he's short-cut film, Bicho Vai, written by Susana Sá.

 

In 2015 he did the video instalation for Gonçalo Waddington’s theater play - Albertine O Continente Celeste. Performed in Teatro Carlos Alberto - Teatro Nacional São João in Oporto and Teatro Municipal de S. Luiz in Lisbon.

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In 2016 he created in a colaboration with Emilie Lauwers the video intalation for the opera BABEL in The Het Paleis - Belgium

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Won the Sophia award by the Portuguese Cinema Academy for best Art Direction on Capitão Falcão together with João Leitão and Nuno Tomaz and was also nominee for Best Editing with the same film.

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Created for the Berlin Philharmonie the video instalation for the opera The Two Fiddlers by Peter Maxwell Davies. Directed by Ela Bauman and Conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.

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Did the cinematography for Emily Wardill's film No Trace Of Accelerator and for James Newitt film To Attempt to Become Other, Secretly or Not.

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In 2017 Created the video-installation for Origem das Espécies, by Carla Maciel, Crista Alfaiate, Marco Paiva and Paula Diogo for Teatro Nacional D. Maria II

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Created the video-installation for To the Moon and Back by Andrew Norman. Directed by Ela Bauman and conducted by Sir Simon Rattle for the Berlin Philharmonic.

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Also created the video-installation for Il Mondo della Luna by Avondano. Directed by Marco Paiva and Conducted by Marcos Magalhães for Os Músicos do Tejo.

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Since 2017 he's a board member of the AIP - Portuguese Cinematographers Society.

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In 2018 did the cinematography for Carlos Motta “The Devil’s Work” produced by Stenar Projects.

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In 2019 did the cinematography for James Newitt “Fossil” for The National 2019 New Australian Art at AGNSW and André Romão “Sunrise" for Museu Berardo.

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Created the video installation for Elisabeth Naske e Ela Bauman children's opera, “Enakos” for the Staatsoper in Vienna, Austria.

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Did the cinematography for Trygve Luktvasslimo feature film, “Shallow Water Blackout”. Filmed in Lofoten, Norway and produced by Anze Persin.  

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Created the video-installation for Alex Cassal children's play "Aldebarã" directed by Marco Paiva for Terra Amarela and Fernando Mota children's play "Mininu" in co-procution with CCB.

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Did the cinematography of several commercial films like Chicco, Bond Touch, D'Aveia and Depuralina all shot in Portugal.

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Directed the broadcast for RTP2 of "Confissões de Um Coração Ardente" By Carla Maciel based on Dostoiévski romances and for the National Theatre TNDMII "Futuro Próximo" by Gonçalo Waddington.

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Did the Cinematography of Claudia Clemente's short-film "Leonor" Produced by Cinemate and for RTP2 second season fashion series of 13 episodes "Armário" produced by Maria Mayer.

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