Film Studies careers

I currently work as a Production Coordinator in unscripted television at Raise the Roof productions, where I am responsible for managing logistics and support programme delivery. From planning through to postproduction, my role involves scheduling, coordinating teams and resources, problem-solving under pressure, and ultimately, ensuring productions run smoothly, safely and to budget.
 
Studying Film at the University of St Andrews prepared me well for this position by developing my wider production knowledge and strong writing skills. Through my studies, I learned to digest complex information, critically analyse material, and communicate clearly — skills that are essential in my current role. The degree also strengthened my organisational abilities, adaptability, and capacity to balance creative and logistical demands.
 
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the University of St Andrews and felt supported and encouraged by the Film staff. My time at university gave me the confidence and foundation to succeed in the role I have today.

I am currently a publicist and commissioning editor for Voquent, a Glasgow-based film casting agency/post-production company specialising in voice acting. I knew I wanted to end up in a creative job after finishing my film degree at St Andrews, so I went in with the mindset that I’d apply to absolutely anything that felt even vaguely relevant. The process has been tough but interesting. You really do have to be stubborn about it. Before I got the Voquent position, I kept myself financially afloat by some freelance writing/film criticism gigs I had landed. 

Career wise, I’ve always been interested in film. The moment it really clicked for me that this was an industry I wanted to imbibe myself in was during some work experience with Premier PR in Edinburgh. Organising screeners, helping with red-carpet stuff, getting a look at how things actually run behind the scenes. I later got the chance to be the British Film Institute's film critic mentee for the 2024 London Film Festival, which gave me a proper look at the industry from the inside. That experience basically confirmed that this was the area I wanted to work in.

Perseverance is key in studies and in the career search. Your degree will show you pretty quickly that things, and grades, won’t always go your way. Sometimes you’ll work your absolute best only to get a pretty bog-standard grade. That can certainly feel defeating. But you’ve got to learn to take that on board constructively as a learning curve, rather than letting it depress you. 

My StARIS internship involved reading through the manuscript of an edited collection and gathering key terms, concepts and scholars to help Dr Mulvogue with her index prior to publication. Participating in the StARIS project was a really valuable opportunity to engage with academic writing from a new perspective and helped me decide that I definitely want to go into academia in the future.

I worked with Dr Lucy Donaldson on her research project exploring how design is represented in behind-the-scenes and promotional materials, as part of her videographic book for Lever Press. The internship has opened my eyes to new aspects of film production and scholarly research. The experience, and, guidance from Dr Donaldson, will be invaluable as I pursue future opportunities in research or production assistance.

There is a distinct balance between independent expression and collaboration involved in this internship. All six of us move from individually interpreting films to coming together and engaging in thoughtful discussions. This makes the role especially valuable for any aspiring to work in film. Being able to give a platform to filmmakers who are creating their first or second films is also very encouraging for the future of the industry! It’s one of the reasons Sands is such a special festival. Being under the mentorship of Ania [Festival Director], who has had years of experience in the film industry, has given the team and me plenty of insight into thinking about film in new ways, as well as a deeper understanding of how film curation and festivals operate.

Participating in Sands is such a cool and unique opportunity as it gives students the chance to get hands-on experience with industry professionals. The curator position allows students to learn about and get experience in various areas, not just curating but also speaking in front of audiences, managing Q&A sessions, and writing about films in a more promotional rather than academic context. It also really enhanced my ability to think critically about film, and additionally inspired me to seek out more articles and reviews featuring critical discussions of film generally, to give me ideas on how to better articulate my thoughts.