SOURCE: Cleveland.com | Joey Morona, Cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is inviting Clevelanders to a galaxy far, far away — sort of — for two events in January.

Hollywood producer, production manager and second-unit director David Lester will headline the GCFC’s annual Behind the Camera gala on Friday, Jan. 9 and a Production Assistant Workshop on Saturday, Jan. 10. Lester is perhaps best known for his work on the original “Star Wars: A New Hope.” The North Olmsted native, who was in the same class at USC Film School as George Lucas and began his career as a cameraman at WEWS Channel 5 in the 1960s, has also worked on “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “TRON,” “Bull Durham” and two films shot in Ohio: “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Air Force One.”

The Behind the Camera gala will take place at 5 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Cleveland History Center. Lester will discuss his diverse career, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and reflections on the industry. The event includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and admission to the history center’s “Hollywood on the Cuyahoga” exhibition. Tickets for event, which serves as a fundraiser for the GCFC, are $50.

The following day, Lester will lead the Production Assistant Workshop at Cuyahoga Community College’s Metropolitan Campus. The workshop is intended for those interested in a career as a production crew member in the region’s growing film industry. Lester will walk attendees through a day in the life of a crew member on the set of “Air Force One,” which was partially filmed at Severance Hall in 1996. The workshop is free, but advanced registration is required.

The Greater Cleveland Film Commission was established in 1998 to attract film and television production to Northeast Ohio. Recent projects include “Conspiracy,” a feature film produced by Randall Emmett; “Carousel,” an indie romance starring Chris Pine and Jenny Slate; “Buddy,” a horror film featuring Cristin Milioti; and an episode of the upcoming Hulu NFL drama tentatively titled “The Land,” starring Christopher Meloni and Mandy Moore.

Since the creation of the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit in 2009, film and TV production has generated nearly $1.4 billion in economic impact and helped create more than 7,100 full-time equivalent jobs in the state, according to the GCFC.

Information for both events is available at ClevelandFilm.com.

The Cleveland History Center’s “Hollywood on the Cuyahoga: Northeast Ohio and the Movies” exhibition will serve as a backdrop for the Greater Cleveland Film Commission’s Behind the Camera gala on Jan. 9, 2026. John Kuntz, cleveland.com