Editorial Ghost Labor and Workflow Governance in Digital Post-Production: An HR Perspective

The rapid digital transformation of film and streaming media production has significantly reshaped post-production workflows, particularly within the editorial department. Early discussions often characterized streaming platforms as environments that generate “infinite workflows” due to the flexibility of digital editing tools and iterative feedback cycles. However, industry observations indicate that major streaming platforms operate within structured milestone-based workflows that limit revision cycles and enforce clearly defined delivery schedules. In contrast, feature film production environments frequently lack comparable governance mechanisms, leading to extended editorial revisions, undefined work boundaries, and the emergence of invisible labor within the editing process. This study introduces the concept of editorial ghost labor, referring to the unrecognized creative interventions through which editors resolve narrative, performance, and technical imperfections originating in other departments. Using a human resource management perspective, the paper analyzes structural gaps in editorial work governance and proposes a recommendation model emphasizing contractual work boundaries, milestone-based review systems, overtime compensation mechanisms, and value-based remuneration structures. The research argues that integrating formal HR frameworks into post-production management can significantly reduce burnout, improve recognition of editorial labor, and enhance sustainability within film and digital media production industries.