Tucked between Antwerp and Brussels, Option Media has quietly built a reputation for being the calm center of Europe’s post-production industry. Privately owned since 1993 and 25 people strong, the Mechelen facility brings images, sound, and localization under one roof, editing and color next door to seven mix rooms, with dubbing stages, casting, and even a screening cinema on site. The team’s sweet spot is complexity: multilingual versions, varied broadcaster specs, numerous streamer deliveries, and valuable cinema masters, all moving through one tightly run hub. 

Clients think of Option Media as the ‘go-between’, translating creative ambition into technical reality. A color session hands off to Foley artists; a dubbing day rolls into localization; a producer steps from review into a branded portal for the next reel.  

Option Media maintains a high-volume pipeline, transferring roughly 6.5 terabytes of media across 23 active portals every month. 

“And that’s only online,” said Option Media’s Account Manager, Antoine Cambier. “Not the disks or rushes we get from very local clients.”  

Volume alone isn’t the challenge; the variety is.  

“When we start a big project, the first thing we ask is: How is the material going to come in, and how do we deliver it back? That defines the entire workflow,” Operations Manager, Ingrid Van Dijck explained. “We have technical specifications per client or broadcaster. So, when we do a master for Netflix, we know those specifications.”  

This managing post-production complexities can turn scale into repeatable processes. Each job opens with confirmed specifications, mapped paths across image, sound, and localization deliverables, and the right portal routing so each team can pull exactly what they need, when they need it. All of the volume, variety, and vigilance set the stage for Option Media’s real advantage. They don’t just move large files; they turn unpredictable realities into dependable routines.  

The technology mission: keep workflows fast and predictable, make the experience simple for non-technical partners, and raise the bar on security posture, not just for audits, but for real-world trust from clients. 

“What makes Option Media different?” Van Dijck asked. “We are good at high volumes and big files. We’re very professional.” 

But for clients, moving content under tight timelines, convenience can’t come at the expense of control. That stance is why the team periodically steps back to reassess their toolset.  

“Every now and then, we have to explore what’s new in the market; Is there something better? Is what we have still the best? Is it time for a change?” Van Dijck explained. 

When traditional options fell short, the search narrowed. “We were looking for a new solution, because an FTP server was just not safe anymore,” Van Dijck continued.  

The team needed a transfer platform purpose-built for media professionals. One that could handle heavy volumes without handholding, lock down access without adding friction, and present a branded, client-friendly front door that reflects Option Media’s standard of care. 

In 2013, Option Media’s frustration with FTP reached its peak. They wanted to stop patching workflows and dealing with a protocol that no longer met their needs and started looking for a purpose-built platform. That year, at IBC in Amsterdam, the team found a modern solution to their problems — Signiant. Since then, Option Media relied on Signiant to eliminate friction in its post-production pipeline and ensure the fast, secure movement of valuable, time-sensitive content. 

As much as the technology itself, an important benefit that drew the team to Signiant was its people. Option Media wanted a partner they could actually reach, humans who show up when it truly matters.  

“When we work with other platforms, we don’t hear from actual people. We never see a face,” Cambier noted. “Having a help desk we can call if something goes awry is very important.” For a facility jugging tight timelines and premium clients, that responsiveness is essential.  

Usability was another factor in Option Media’s decision. They share and receive content with non-technical stakeholders every day, so the front door access had to be effortless.  

“It needs to be simple and easy to work with. Because after all, it’s also our name that is on the line,” Cambier said.  

“It has to be extremely easy to use,” Van Dijck emphasized. “Something any client can navigate without instructions.”  

Signiant’s clean interface and custom branded portals helps enhance Option Media’s reputation while keeping partners productive.  

Usable and reliable go hand-in-hand. Post work doesn’t pause for flaky connections, and Signiant’s checkpoint restart feature removes the anxiety of long pauses.  

“If the internet drops, it is picked up. With other tools, if for a millisecond the line drops, then you have to start all over again,” Van Dijck explained.  

Even small touches save headaches, including Cambier’s nightly sweep of the suites is guided by a safety net, “A pop-up will show that there is a transfer going on, so I know not to turn that off. It’s a very handy reminder.” 

For the last twelve years, having Signiant people and support on the other end, an interface clients like, and transfers that don’t need babysitting have set the baseline.  

But even with speed, ease of use, and reliability, for Option Media’s world of broadcasters, streamers, and studios, the real importance is security; meeting strict standards without slowing down work.  

Security isn’t just a checkbox for Option Media; it is table stakes and spans studio expectations, broadcaster requests, and numerous recurring audits. For high-value workflows, Option Media needs an additional level of control and visibility, beyond what general-purpose file sharing tools are designed for. To satisfy numerous customers and partners, they carry the Trusted Partner Network Gold Shield, a media industry security standard. 

“TPN is one of the eight audits we have to undergo every year. Signiant definitely helped us with that,” Van Dijck offered.  

Any transfer platform that Option Media uses has to be aligned with TPN best practices and qualified assessments without adding friction to daily work. This plugs Option Media into a vetted ecosystem of accredited vendors, and broadcasters and studios rely on TPN as a common trust layer. Because Signiant’s controls are also independently assessed to TPN standards and completed the TPN App and Cloud Gold Shield assessment, security reviews move faster, partner onboarding gets simpler, and Option Media can inherit a baseline of proven practices, strengthening their posture while reducing audit friction across the supply chain. 

Signiant meets that high security bar with standards-based encryption in flight, strong authentication, and granular access controls, so only the right people access the right assets. Additionally, clear chain-of-custody and activity visibility turns compliance from a scramble into an easy routine. 

Equally important, the Signiant Platform preserves storage independence and centralized controls. Files move directly between trusted endpoints, ensuring no detours into someone else’s storage, even temporarily, all while branded portals and policies keep exchanges familiar for partners and disciplined for admins. The net effect: studio-grade security that keeps pace with production instead of slowing it down. 

“Signiant makes us look very professional. It’s high end,” Van Dijck said, noting how branded portals and smooth handoffs signal care before a single frame is viewed.  

For clients juggling deadlines and sensitive assets, that first impression with clear links, clear access, and no confusion sets the tone of everything that follows, and what makes them different from other post-production companies. That polished look is a choice Option Media reviews and renews annually.  

“Every year we have the same discussion — Signiant comes with a price, but we cannot do without it. It’s an extension of our professionalism,” Cambier stated. Rather than passing the cost as a line item, the team invests in the experience, so partners simply feel the reliability and speed of Option Media’s premium choices. 

Cambier noted that even in informal conversations with freelancers and parters, people often appreciate the reliability and professionalism of a purpose-built platform.  

“I’m always a bit of a hero if I come in with Signiant”

~ Antoine Cambier, Account Manager

Option Media has built a lasting reputation for turning complexities into clarity, with high-volume, high-stakes work. With Signiant, Option Media is supported by a team they can reach, an easy-to-use client experience, transfers that survive disruption, and security standards that align with customer expectations. 

The result is a post house that looks and works like a true partner. In a world where deadlines tighten and formats multiply, Signiant helps Option Media close the loop between creative ambition and technical reality, setting the stage for whatever comes next.