James Lester has been making films and music since he was four years old. A born-and-raised New Yorker, he is as an Emmy-nominated film and television editor who also directs and produces independent projects. Lester’s editor resumé includes Emmy-nominated films and series for HBO and SHOWTIME, a Grammy-nominated music documentary, and programming for Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+, NBC/Peacock, CBS, PBS, CNN, BBC, AMC, A&E, USA Network, History Channel and Sundance Channel. His independent films have won awards at film festivals in the United States and Europe and have been featured on networks such as STARZ and IFC. Notably, his feature documentary “Getting Naked: A Burlesque Story” had its world premiere in the Venice Days section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival; its U.S. premiere was at DOC NYC. He has also directed content for brands and organizations such as Veuve Cliquot, Marriott Hotels, and Volunteers of America. In addition to working in film and television, Lester is a jazz pianist and composer. He has performed in venues in New York City and has taught piano, guitar, music theory and jazz history in New York music schools and conservatories. He is currently an adjunct professor at CUNY’s Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema.