In big expansion news, Medient has announced they have recently signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire one hundred percent ownership of Germany based Atlas International Film GmbH (‘Atlas’). This is big news because Atlas is one of the oldest independents in the international film licensing business. With more than 46 years of experience under its belt, Atlas represents more than 100 producers from all over the world, and has signed over 12,000 license deals.

Medient Studios keep hitting milestone after milestone…as if they were producing a movie!

Tuesday they announced that the Property Committee of the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority has formally approved the Master Plan for the Studioplex on the 1,550 acre property. All procedural formalities are now complete and the formal lease agreement will be signed on the 19th of August and the Ground breaking ceremony will be held on the 29th of August.

With extremely weak domestic ticket sales over the weekend for “R.I.P.D.” and “Turbo,” Hollywood has now sustained six big-budget duds since May 1, the start of the film industry’s high-stakes summer season.

If this WAS a movie, the Medient Studios story would be about a tiny group of idealistic movie makers bucking the odds and doing what NONE of the giants in their industry thought they could…build the largest movie studio in the Western world just outside of Savannah Georgia.

Medient has initiated engineering, clearing and grading of the property, as part of a construction plan to have the studioplex operational by the first quarter of 2014.

If this was Scarface...the line would be "First you get the money...then you get the studio...THEN you get the 10X winner in Medient Studios."

Securing $300 million in Industrial Revenue Bonds is the KEY milestone for MDNT in the development of the world’s largest entertainment studio (outside of Asia) in good ol' Savanna Georgia USA.

Like we said from the beginning: IF you are going to build the largest movie studio in the world (ex-Asia) AND re-invent and disrupt the traditional movie business…you are going to need DEEP pocketed friends.

Medient Studios distribution deal with industry giant Atlas Films—who licenses and resells all kinds of filmed entertainment worldwide—for up to $30 million in upfront licensing fees for its movies is another KEY part of the Medient story.

Medient Studios Inc. will receive $3 million in state incentives for creating 1,000 jobs at a production and entertainment complex in Effingham County, according to CEO Manu Kumaran.

Kumaran said agreements with the state, which were approved unanimously Thursday by the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, validate his small company’s big project.

“It’s recognition by independent third party of the validity of our project,” Kumaran stated.

IF you are going to invest $90 million to build the largest movie production studio in the world (outside of Asia) you need a world class pre/post production technology partner...and about $40 million of equipment.

In his Shareholder Letter…Chairman/CEO Manu Kumaran says it all in his opening sentence:

“Dear Shareholders,

Change. We fear, detest, hope, yearn and even revere or despair of it. And irrespective of how we feel about change at any point in time we know it is inevitable. Medient is in the throes of big change and hopefully our transformation will help change the way films are made around the world.” 

One of the reasons we are so bullish on digital entertainment content creators like Medient Studio’s is this simple fact: as most people in the developed world use THREE digital screens on a daily basis—TV, smartphone and now tablet—and MANY times at least TWO at the same time---MORE compelling entertainment content is needed to feed the digital device beast.

We are initiating sponsored research coverage of Medient Studios, Inc. (MDNT) with a $2 short term target based on DCF of a 5 year proforma of 6-8 films per year and average annual $50M EPS fully diluted primarily derived from uncapped 30% Georgia State tax credits for in-state film production.