When a microscopic examination of the cross-institutional labor process of a young documentary worker is conducted in the framework of Media Anthropology，the result shows a deep labor control hidden in his daily work practices. The author finds that the personal dilemma in the micro situation can be connected with the whole social and cultural pattern. When transnational and local capital forces are deeply embedded in everyone’s daily lives，how do contemporary Chinese cultural workers meet and coexist with these challenges？It’seems that a source of explanation can be found in the case of this young documentary worker.