Join the Team!
Open Roles
Festival Director 2026
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 recruiting department roles for 2025.
If you have any questions about joining the team, feel free to email the Festival Producer, Flora O’Neill at flora.oneill@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 the perfect place to gain invaluable skills for entering any industry.
screenplay competition officers
For Watersprite 2025, our Writing for Screen Competition is back and we’re looking for dedicated team members to make it happen!
This role is ideal for anyone who is passionate about supporting up and coming talent, loves reading and appreciates the craft that goes into getting a story told. You will be part of a small team that sits within the Awards Team and have the opportunity to read scripts from all around the country. As a part of the team you will be the first point of contact for the writers and be a real part of their relationship with the festival!
Please apply for this role ASAP to avoid disappointment.
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? Interested in putting on a series of events hosted by industry professionals? Apply now to be part of the Creative Futures team for Watersprite 2025! You’ll get to help inspire young film talent, contact speakers, work closely with partners and out on a series of inspirational events aimed at opening doors to the film industry.
APPLICATIONS FOR CREATIVE FUTURES OFFICERS ARE NOW OPEN!
Deadline: 16th October, 23:59pm.
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 2025 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 EVENTS OFFICERS ARE NOW OPEN!
Deadline: 16th October, 23:59pm.
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 PARTNERSHIPS TEAM ARE NOW OPEN!
Deadline: 16th October, 23:59pm.
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 VIDEO PRODUCTION TEAM ARE NOW OPEN!
Deadline: 16th October, 23:59pm.
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 COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ARE NOW OPEN!
Deadline: 16th October, 23:59pm.
Our Instagram feed, curated by the Comms Team!
CEREMONIES TEAM
With Watersprite’s growth over the last few years The Ceremonies Team is a great place for anyone looking to engage with the latest industry developments and have the opportunity to build their professional network, with the extra perk of meeting and corresponding with big name speakers! This team will have the opportunity to run two of the biggest events in the Watersprite weekend - the Opening Ceremony and the Watersprite Awards Ceremony (Previously sponsored by Amazon Studios).
Previous speakers and presenters for the Opening Ceremony and Awards Ceremony have included: Sir Lenny Henry, Olivia Coleman, Eddie Redmayne, David Yates, Carol Morley and Bill Nighy. This is a role with a big responsibility, however with huge rewards of getting to plan some of the most exciting events in the Cambridge Calendar.
APPLICATIONS FOR CEREMONIES TEAM ARE NOW OPEN!
Deadline: 16th October, 23:59pm.
Ciara Kerr, winner of the Wychwood Media Social Impact Award 2024 after receiving her trophy from David Yates.
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.