“We want to make this space accessible,” McNeal said. “We don’t want to outprice the community. We want to invite the community so we want to keep our prices as low as we can but still be able to do what we do. People are baffled by how much less it is to go to the movies here than any of the multiplexes in town.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Cordero acknowledges senior citizens are the majority of The NEON’s base, which factors into the decision to keep prices steady.
“Some of the seniors are on fixed incomes,” Cordero said. “We don’t want anyone who has been coming here for years to ever have to stop and think about whether they can afford to go and see the next movie. But we have also opportunities like Discount Tuesday. We are here to impress someone with our prices because that’s another way to lure people in who haven’t been here before.”
A commitment to engaging, pleasant customer service is also paramount.
“We encourage staff to see the movies because we know people want to talk about what they’ve just seen or are about to see,” McNeal said. “And the customer experience starts in the parking lot. From the time the customers arrive to the time they leave, details have to be in place.”
Community outreach
Specializing in independent films, foreign films and documentaries, The NEON, a nonprofit organization, has always been a magnet for prestige pictures, movies that receive critical acclaim on the film festival circuit across the country and around the globe. These films, which may or may not have recognizable stars, also factor into the enjoyment of the theater hosting its annual Oscar Party in celebration of the Academy Awards.
“Our (lineup) varies all throughout the year,” Cordero said. “Some films may not ring a bell but the critical acclaim they receive helps us during Oscar (season).”
There’s also an increased awareness to play mainstream films in order to provide moviegoing balance such as Ryan Coogler’s recent blockbuster “Sinners,” which has earned $368 million worldwide and featured production design by Academy Award-winning Wright State University film alumna Hannah Beachler.
“We play some of the more accessible, mainstream films so we can get to those more niche, international films we think are valuable or important to bring but we know they are not our bread and butter,” McNeal said.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
The duo particularly values community outreach and collaboration, which has become more prominent. In 2025, more than 90 one-night-only special event screenings will have taken place, which is roughly two screenings per week. Most recently The NEON collaborated with Miami Valley Fair Housing Center and the Human Relations Council for “Returning Home,” a film highlighting the importance of housing in helping individuals reintegrate into society after incarceration.
“These screenings are partnerships in which we partner with civic-minded organizations that have a film that speaks to their mission,” McNeal said. “There are a lot of different ways the one-night-only screenings have come to fruition. It’s been a big part of our model since COVID-19. Special events have always been a part of our mission. We used to have a couple a month — now it’s a couple a week, which is a lot more than what it was 10 years ago.”
Encouraging thought-provoking discussion continues to fuel these special events.
“We project and present the art of cinema every day here but as an organization we try to make cinema speak in different ways to different organizations,” McNeal said. “Going to the cinema is a communal event. You can watch something at home by yourself but it’s different when you’re in an audience with people responding to something the same as you or differently than you. It’s powerful to use cinema as a jumping off point for discussion.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Another successful draw has been themed Nostalgia Nights and patio parties to help fuel the idea of The NEON as more of a destination.
“The mindset is that if we go beyond the moviegoing experience and create memories for people, we will be more apt to be the destination for your traditional moviegoing,” McNeal said. “We have had several Nostalgia Nights and they’ve run the gamut from Audrey Hepburn to the Coen brothers.”
Up next, the NEON is excited to host its annual, budget-friendly Family Holiday Film Series taking place the first three Saturdays in December at 11 a.m. The films are free for kids 12 and under and only $2 for anyone else. Tickets for these screenings are only available in-person starting 45 minutes before showtimes. The lineup consists of “The Polar Express” (Dec. 6), “Jingle All the Way” (Dec. 13) and “The Year Without a Santa Claus” (Dec. 20).
‘All of the arts can be in cinema if you want it to be’
While studying film at Wright State University, McNeal, a native of Salem, Ohio, recalls words of wisdom from his professor Charles Derry that still validates his love of movies.
“Cinema is the ultimate artform,” McNeal said. “It can encompass every aspect of art from performance to photography to painting. All of the arts can be in cinema if you want it to be.”
From 1992 to 2000, he was a regular at The NEON but admits the building, which originally opened as the Dayton Movies in 1986, had fallen into disrepair. When he was approached in 2001 to take over as manager after The NEON was reborn and remodeled into two screens, he never looked back and has remained a dedicated fixture. He knew long ago he was the right fit to lead.
“I always held The NEON in high esteem,” McNeal said. “Even when I was at Wright State, being at The NEON was something I’ve never experienced before.”
Credit: Russell Florence
Credit: Russell Florence
His first hire was Cordero, a Dayton native and Colonel White High School graduate who studied video at Colonel White and Sinclair Community College.
“The NEON has been my constant ever since I turned 21,” said Cordero, who also handles bookkeeping. “Movies embody every single feature and aspect of the arts like almost nothing else can harness. It’s the most multifaceted of the art forms. There’s nothing like the cinematic moving image on the screen. It can’t be duplicated in any other way. I’ve been to a lot of art installations that have a lot neat things going on with projection and light but to actually tell a story simultaneous with that is very unique. And that’s what art is.”
Both also praised Steve Budd, NEON board president and former president of CityWide Development who hired McNeal.
“Steve was the champion for us succeeding,” McNeal said. “When we first opened our doors in 2001, The NEON was not a success. We weren’t busy during our first couple of months. It wasn’t until we screened ‘Amélie’ that we had our first (hit).”
Budd is thankful for McNeal and Cordero’s productive partnership.
“What makes a great organization is when people really complement each other,” Budd said. “Jonathan and Diana do a very good job of complementing each other’s skills, which is the key to their relationship and how they work together. They have been staffing The NEON for 25 years, which is amazing. Anybody who loves the NEON knows we’re blessed to have them.”
End-of-year campaign
The NEON has launched its End-of -Year “Silver Streak” fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $75,000.
“The campaign has become one of the key parts of the future financial viability of The NEON,” Budd said. “When you add in the box office revenue, special engagements/partnerships and fundraising, it means we will have profitability and generate cash for our rainy day fund. We continue to keep the physical property in great shape as well.”
The NEON parking lot is foremost on the list of upcoming capital improvements.
“Next year we will reseal and reline our parking lot,” Budd said. “We will also refresh the painting on the parking lot pillars.”
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
In 2021 The NEON’s “Projecting Our Future” campaign, an endeavor to replace its two projectors and sound systems, most notably raised $113,000, surpassing the initial goal of $85,000.
“We just extended the warranty of our laser projectors for the fifth year, which is the last year we can extend it,” McNeal said. “With the warranty done, there’s less of a safety net that comes along with it. We know within the next three years we’ll be shopping for the next round of projectors.”
Contributions can be made through the “Silver Streak” link at neonmovies.com or in-person at The NEON box office.
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