Theater hopes to project happy ending

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Jonathan McNeal is an expert in rewinding, but like it or not, his theater is about to get a preview in what it's like to fast forward.

"This is going to be a whole new virtual reality that we have to figure out," McNeal says.

If you've ever visited The Neon theater in Dayton, then you've heard it before. That unmistakable clacking that's as much a part of the movies there as a tub of popcorn.

But soon it will become as silent as the films of old.

"We will miss that sound," McNeal says.

The source of that sound is the 35 millimeter projector The Neon uses to show films, but soon the main movie distributors will be no longer releasing things in 35 millimeter film.

Instead everything is going digital.

What once came in heavy boxes will now come in hard drives.

But digital projectors aren't cheap, costing around $140,000.

"We have some money saved, we have some money we can borrow and we have a bit of a gap," McNeal says.

That gap is expected to be about $25,000. Filling it will be as tricky as splicing together a section of old film, so The Neon is holding a benefit in October to help out.

That way the theater can continue showing the films you can't find anywhere else, even if they won't be on film anymore.

"We really do feel we fulfill a certain part of the community that would be absent," McNeal says.

The benefit is set for October 14. For more information click here .