Join the Team!
Open Roles
Festival Director
Are you a student at Anglia Ruskin University of the University of Cambridge? Are you interested in a career in the creative industry or simply love film? Looking for a community of like-minded students? Join the Watersprite team!
We have a wide range of roles available in our eight departments, each of which comes with a unique set of responsibilities and challenges. Scroll down to find out more about each role and for information on how to apply.
We are currently just recruiting the Festival Director. Once they have been recruited, Head of Department roles will become available soon after.
If you have any questions about joining the team, feel free to email the previous Festival Director, Zeb Goriely at zeb.goriely@watersprite.org.uk.
Zeb Goriely closing off the 2024 Watersprite Awards with Amazon MGM Studios.
Festival Director
The Festival Director is the leader of the Watersprite student team. They oversee all operations across eight departments (see below) and liaise with the Board of Trustees and Festival Producer. They determine the creative vision for the festival, meet the festival’s partners and sponsors, plan all logistics with the Festival Producer, determine the composition of the student team, and act as the face of the festival. This is a huge commitment but a very rewarding experience!
Deadline: 5th April
Watersprite merchandise on sale at Watersprite 2023!
CREATIVE DESIGN TEAM
The Creative Design team will mastermind the unique look of Watersprite 2024. The team’s biggest responsibility is the creation of the festival programme (with the possibility of professional help), as well as posters, flyers, merchandise and online visual branding. You will work especially closely with the Communications Team to execute a year-long marketing strategy. These positions offer excellent career experience in the creative industries for someone looking to use their design skills to support an important creative cause and have their work printed, displayed and seen by thousands of professionals and students alike!
APPLICATIONS FOR HEAD OF CREATIVE DESIGN WILL OPEN SOON
Some of the Watersprite 2023 winners posing with their trophies!
Awards Team
This a position for someone passionate about supporting young filmmakers and making the film industry more accessible. You will join a team responsible for managing film submissions from all over the world, organising online judging and then professional juries, corresponding with nominated filmmakers and where possible, arranging for them to come to Cambridge for the festival, and organising the winners’ prizes (working closely with Partnerships and the Alumni team) and their presentation at the Watersprite Awards Ceremony. A particularly rewarding role due to the ongoing personal contact that the Awards Team and nominees have throughout the year. Friendships are built during the festival weekend that last long after the festival is over.
APPLICATIONS FOR HEAD OF AWARDS WILL OPEN SOON
Carol Morley interviewed for the Watersprite 2023 Opening Ceremony
Events Team
A role for someone looking to engage with the latest industry developments and build their professional network, with the extra perk of meeting and corresponding with big-name speakers! The Events team will work to shape the creative vision of the 2024 festival: brainstorming, planning and running events, dealing with everything from how to promote Watersprite in letters to speakers, to which musicians best fit Watersprite’s festival atmosphere.
APPLICATIONS FOR HEAD OF EVENTS WILL OPEN SOON
Helen Simmons accepting the Alumni Award at Watersprite 2022
Alumni Relations Team
As the festival enters its 15th year, we have a fantastic and ever-expanding bank of filmmakers and previous committee members who have gone on to do amazing things since participating in Watersprite. Some have won Oscars, BAFTAs, Sundance and much more. The Alumni Relations department involves keeping in touch with alumni, organising alumni events, interviewing alumni for our blog and generally maintaining the Watersprite Alumni community! Additionally, the Alumni Relations team is responsible for the Watersprite Mentorship programme, connecting filmmakers to mentors who can help them with the next step of their filmmaking journey.
APPLICATIONS FOR HEAD OF ALUMNI RELATIONS OPEN SOON
Maja Kjellstad Aanonsen accepting the Neil Gaiman Film of the Year Award for “Death at the Bus Stop” at Watersprite 2023. Every award came with a set of prizes sourced by the Partnerships team!
Partnerships Team
Partnerships subcommittee roles are for people who are entrepreneurial, persuasive and keen to make an impact. Sponsorship is the lifeblood of the festival and Watersprite is looking for those who are excited about building relationships with sponsors. Ideal for someone hoping to build funding for their own projects in the future (whether start-up, films or other ventures), or for people who are keen to get experience for careers that involve persuasive skill, building strong professional relationships and deal-making. The role involves dealing with in-kind sponsorship (e.g. flower sponsor, food sponsor) and supporting the Festival Producer in with financial sponsorship and prize sponsorship.
APPLICATIONS FOR HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS WILL OPEN SOON
William McGregor interviewed at BBC3 Creative Futures Day 2023
Creative Futures Team
Passionate about increasing accessibility within the creative industries and providing young people with the skills and knowledge they need to take the next steps in their careers? Apply now to be part of the Creative Futures team for Watersprite 2024! You’ll get to help inspire young film talent and work closely with teachers and students, as well as with our sponsors, including at the Creative Futures Day – a day of events aimed at 16-18 year-olds in the local region.
APPLICATIONS FOR HEAD OF CREATIVE FUTURES WILL OPEN SOON
Communications Team
As part of the Communications team, you will help to spread the word about Watersprite far and wide. Roles may involve helping to maintain the festival's online presence, through social media platforms and our website, coordinating blog posts, managing the newsletter or reaching out to local and national newspapers for publicity. These are roles for people keen to develop their marketing and PR skills while supporting an important creative cause!
APPLICATIONS FOR HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS WILL OPEN SOON
Out Instagram feed, curated by the Comms Team!
The Watersprite 2024 trailer, produced by the Video Production Team!
Video Production Team
As an international student film festival, film is at the centre of Watersprite. The Video Production team film and livestream the events over the weekend and produce video content for our YouTube channel before and after the festival, including the festival trailer. They will work closely with the Communications team to find interesting ways to produce exciting content and to increase Watersprite’s online presence. It is a great opportunity for anyone with film experience and who wants to go into film production or the creative industries after graduation!
APPLICATIONS FOR HEAD OF VIDEO PRODUCTION WILL OPEN SOON