Meet James Lester
Founder & Lead Instructor

Born and raised in New York, James (Jimmy to his students, friends, and colleagues) has been making films since he was five years old. He is now an Emmy, Critics’ Choice, and ACE Eddie-nominated film and television editor whose résumé includes award-winning films and series for HBO, Showtime, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Paramount+, NBC/Universal, Peacock, PBS, CNN, BBC, and many more. He has collaborated with acclaimed directors such as Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Nick Quested, Marc Levin, and Susan Lacy. His independently directed and produced films have screened at festivals across the globe, including his feature documentary Getting Naked: A Burlesque Story, which premiered at the 74th Venice International Film Festival.

For over 25 years, James has also been a teacher. He started out teaching piano and music theory at conservatories across New York (he also is a trained musician). More recently, James served as an adjunct professor at CUNY’s Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, where he taught a slate of film editing courses to MFA candidates.

Mentorship lies at the heart of James’ teaching style. He ensures that his students gain not only technical proficiency in industry-standard softwares, but also a deep and comprehensive understanding of the storytelling and artistry that define great film editing. His teaching style is immersive and personal, grounded in practical, real-world success, with the intention of helping students evolve and grow into their best professional selves.

James’ Journey to Online Teaching

When James began teaching graduate courses at Brooklyn College in January 2020, he never imagined that six weeks later a global pandemic would force him to completely rethink the classroom. Confronted with the sudden shift to remote learning, he embraced digital tools and discovered that virtual instruction offered unexpected advantages for teaching film editing.

Through screen sharing, students could follow demonstrations with crystal clarity and present their own work for real-time feedback, fostering collaboration that was often harder to achieve in person. Breakout rooms on Zoom enabled one-on-one attention when needed—essentially private mini-lessons—without interrupting the flow of class.  And without the physical barriers of computer monitors and studio headphones, students felt more connected to both their instructor and their peers.

Over time, James developed a highly effective online teaching method—one that in many cases surpasses traditional in-person instruction. At The Brooklyn Edit Suite, this online-first approach ensures more individual support, more collaboration, and more opportunities for students to sharpen their skills—no matter where they are.