In 1951 he moved to Rome where the Cinecitta' studios were the center of the European film industry, and began his activity as cameraman with director of photography Gianni di Venanzo. This collaboration lasted until 1960, giving rise to movies with directors such as Carlo Lizzani ("Achtung banditi", "Cronache di poveri amanti"), Mario Monicelli ("Big Deal in Madonna Street," academy award nomination for best foreign-language film), Michelangelo Antonioni ("Le amiche", "Il grido"), Mario Camerini, Alberto Lattuada, Dino Risi, Francesco Maselli, Francesco Rosi, Aglauco Casadio, and Federico Fellini.
In 1960 Erico Menczer became director of photography and has since made more than 100 movies. He has worked with many directors, among whom Luciano Salce ("Il federale", "La voglia matta", "Il sindacalista", "Fantozzi" - top grossing film in Italy for several years), Carlo Lizzani ("L'oro di Roma", La vita agra"), Marco Bellocchio ("Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina"), Franco Prosperi ("Tecnica di un omicidio"), Dario Argento ("Il gatto a nove code"), Lucio Fulci ("White fang", "Operazione S. Pietro"), Giuliano Montaldo ("Gli intoccabili"), Alberto De Martino ("Holocaust 2000"), Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Dino Risi, Vittorio De Sisti, Nino Manfredi, Giorgio Bontempi, Tinto Brass, and Pupi Avati.
In his long career he has also contributed to many TV series for Italian public (RAI) and private (Fininvest) networks, and for American public television (Mark Twain's "Innocents abroad").
Erico Menczer has been awarded a production grant by the Italian Ministry of Performing Arts for directing a film from his own script, "Tonino". He has also taught cinematography, photography and other visual arts at several schools in Rome since 1981.
He began painting in 1982. His favorite technique is acrylic. His paintings and photographs have been exhibited in Rome in 1985, 1993, 1998, and 1999. He also writes short stories and poetry.