Don Argott

Don Argott (born September 14, 1972) is an American documentary filmmaker and musician originally from Pequannock, New Jersey, and currently residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Argott has directed the documentary films Rock School (2005), Two Days in April (2007), and The Art of the Steal (2009), and has also worked as a producer and cinematographer.  He co-owns the production company 9.14 Pictures with producer Sheena M. Joyce. Argott has worked with film score in a rock band format, releasing original music under the name Pornosonic. Pornosonic's work has been featured in numerous films, including Old School.  Argott currently plays guitar in the proto-metal band Serpent Throne along with 9.14 Pictures editor Demian Fenton. Description above from the Wikipedia article Don Argott, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Rock School (2005)

It is about a music school in Philadelphia, The Paul Green School of Rock Music, run by Paul Green that teaches kids ages 9 to 17 how to play rock music and be rock stars. Paul Green teaches his students how to play music such as Black Sabbath and Frank Zappa ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Napoleon Murphy Brock  •  Asa Spades Collins  •  Tucker Collins  •  Madi Diaz-Svalgard

It is about a music school in Philadelphia, The Paul Green School of Rock Music, run by Paul Green that teaches kids ages 9 to 17 how to play rock music and be rock stars. Paul Green teaches his students how to play music such as Black Sabbath and Frank Zappa ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Napoleon Murphy Brock  •  Asa Spades Collins  •  Tucker Collins  •  Madi Diaz-Svalgard

Last Days Here (2011)

Documentary follows Bobby Liebling, lead singer of seminal hard rock/heavy metal band Pentagram, as he battles decades of hard drug addiction and personal demons to try and get his life back.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Demian Fenton
CAST:  Bobby Liebling  •  Sean Pelletier  •  Phil Anselmo

Documentary follows Bobby Liebling, lead singer of seminal hard rock/heavy metal band Pentagram, as he battles decades of hard drug addiction and personal demons to try and get his life back.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Demian Fenton
CAST:  Bobby Liebling  •  Sean Pelletier  •  Phil Anselmo

The Atomic States of America (2012)

Based on Kelly McMasters’s memoir about growing up in a nuclear-reactor community, this stirring film illustrates the dire health consequences for many residents in Shirley, her Long Island hometown. Yet despite the known risks of utilizing nuclear power, our ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST: 

Based on Kelly McMasters’s memoir about growing up in a nuclear-reactor community, this stirring film illustrates the dire health consequences for many residents in Shirley, her Long Island hometown. Yet despite the known risks of utilizing nuclear power, our ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST: 

Two Days In April (2007)

Follows the story of 4 college football players signed by the sports agency IMG, as they bring them to a training facility in Florida and both physically and mentally prepare them for the NFL draft.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Bruce Allen  •  Tom Condon  •  Chuck Cook  •  Jon Gruden

Follows the story of 4 college football players signed by the sports agency IMG, as they bring them to a training facility in Florida and both physically and mentally prepare them for the NFL draft.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Bruce Allen  •  Tom Condon  •  Chuck Cook  •  Jon Gruden

The Art of the Steal (2010)

A gripping tale of intrigue and mystery in the art world, this film traces the history of a collection of Post-Impressionist paintings - worth billions - which became the subject of a power struggle after the death of its owner. Dr. Albert Barnes.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Julian Bond  •  Richard Feigen  •  Richard H. Glanton  •  Christopher Knight

A gripping tale of intrigue and mystery in the art world, this film traces the history of a collection of Post-Impressionist paintings - worth billions - which became the subject of a power struggle after the death of its owner. Dr. Albert Barnes.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Julian Bond  •  Richard Feigen  •  Richard H. Glanton  •  Christopher Knight

As the Palaces Burn (2014)

As the Palaces Burn is a feature-length documentary that originally sought to follow Lamb of God and their fans throughout the world, to demonstrate how music ties us together when we can’t find any other common bond. However, during the filming process in 2012, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Randy Blythe  •  Mark Morton  •  Chris Adler  •  Willie Adler

As the Palaces Burn is a feature-length documentary that originally sought to follow Lamb of God and their fans throughout the world, to demonstrate how music ties us together when we can’t find any other common bond. However, during the filming process in 2012, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Randy Blythe  •  Mark Morton  •  Chris Adler  •  Willie Adler

Believer (2018)

Imagine Dragons’ Mormon frontman Dan Reynolds is taking on a new mission to explore how the church treats its LGBTQ members. With the rising suicide rate amongst teens in the state of Utah, his concern with the church’s policies sends him on an unexpected path for ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Dan Reynolds  •  Tyler Glenn  •  Aja Volkman  •  Arrow Reynolds

Imagine Dragons’ Mormon frontman Dan Reynolds is taking on a new mission to explore how the church treats its LGBTQ members. With the rising suicide rate amongst teens in the state of Utah, his concern with the church’s policies sends him on an unexpected path for ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Dan Reynolds  •  Tyler Glenn  •  Aja Volkman  •  Arrow Reynolds

11/8/16 (2017)

U.S. citizens in more than 25 states are followed as they set out on the morning of the presidential election, throughout the course of the day, until the polls close in the evening and the results are revealed.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bassam Tariq  •  Martha Shane  •  Don Argott  •  Andrew Grace  •  Daniel Junge  •  Sheena M. Joyce  •  Alison Klayman  •  Yung Chang  •  Garth Donovan  •  Vikram Gandhi  •  Petra Epperlein  •  Raul Gasteazoro  •  Michael Tucker  •  Alma Har'el  •  Duane Andersen  •  Ciara Lacy  •  james Gonçalves  •  Elaine McMillion Sheldon
CAST: 

U.S. citizens in more than 25 states are followed as they set out on the morning of the presidential election, throughout the course of the day, until the polls close in the evening and the results are revealed.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bassam Tariq  •  Martha Shane  •  Don Argott  •  Andrew Grace  •  Daniel Junge  •  Sheena M. Joyce  •  Alison Klayman  •  Yung Chang  •  Garth Donovan  •  Vikram Gandhi  •  Petra Epperlein  •  Raul Gasteazoro  •  Michael Tucker  •  Alma Har'el  •  Duane Andersen  •  Ciara Lacy  •  james Gonçalves  •  Elaine McMillion Sheldon
CAST: 

Batman & Bill (2017)

Everyone thinks that Bob Kane created Batman, but that’s not the whole truth. One author makes it his crusade to make it known that Bill Finger, a struggling writer, actually helped invent the iconic superhero, from concept to costume to the very character we all ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST:  Michael Uslan  •  Roy Thomas  •  Marc Tyler Nobleman  •  Thomas Andrae

Everyone thinks that Bob Kane created Batman, but that’s not the whole truth. One author makes it his crusade to make it known that Bill Finger, a struggling writer, actually helped invent the iconic superhero, from concept to costume to the very character we all ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST:  Michael Uslan  •  Roy Thomas  •  Marc Tyler Nobleman  •  Thomas Andrae

Slow Learners (2015)

High school guidance counselor Jeff and his platonic friend and co-worker Anne are responsible, well intentioned, kind… and boring. They frustratingly watch on as their peers find love and companionship, while they continue to fail in spectacular fashion when it ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST:  Adam Pally  •  Sarah Burns  •  Reid Scott  •  Catherine Reitman

High school guidance counselor Jeff and his platonic friend and co-worker Anne are responsible, well intentioned, kind… and boring. They frustratingly watch on as their peers find love and companionship, while they continue to fail in spectacular fashion when it ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST:  Adam Pally  •  Sarah Burns  •  Reid Scott  •  Catherine Reitman

Framing John DeLorean (2019)

A documentary interspersed with acted scenes, this portrait of John DeLorean covers the brilliant but tragically flawed automaker's rise to stardom and shocking down fall.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST:  Alec Baldwin  •  Morena Baccarin  •  Josh Charles  •  Dean Winters

A documentary interspersed with acted scenes, this portrait of John DeLorean covers the brilliant but tragically flawed automaker's rise to stardom and shocking down fall.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST:  Alec Baldwin  •  Morena Baccarin  •  Josh Charles  •  Dean Winters

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time (2021)

A documentary 33 years in the making, director and friend of Kurt Vonnegut seeks through his archives to create the first film featuring the revolutionary late writer.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Robert B. Weide
CAST:  Robert B. Weide  •  Kurt Vonnegut Jr.  •  Sam Waterston  •  Morley Safer

A documentary 33 years in the making, director and friend of Kurt Vonnegut seeks through his archives to create the first film featuring the revolutionary late writer.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Robert B. Weide
CAST:  Robert B. Weide  •  Kurt Vonnegut Jr.  •  Sam Waterston  •  Morley Safer

Bill Mauldin: If It's Big, Hit It (2021)

Documentary on Bill Mauldin  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST:  Bill Mauldin

Documentary on Bill Mauldin  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Sheena M. Joyce
CAST:  Bill Mauldin

Keep Sweet (2021)

“Keep Sweet” concerns the conflicts in two towns on opposite sides of a state line. The area of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., was settled by members of a breakaway faction of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that continued to practice ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Don Argott

“Keep Sweet” concerns the conflicts in two towns on opposite sides of a state line. The area of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., was settled by members of a breakaway faction of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that continued to practice ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott
CAST:  Don Argott

Dio: Dreamers Never Die (2022)

This career spanning documentary on heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio delves deep into his incredible rise from 50's doo-wop crooner, to his early classic rock days in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, to replacing the iconic lead singer Ozzy Osborne in Black Sabbath, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Demian Fenton
CAST:  Ronnie James Dio  •  Wendy Dio  •  Tony Iommi  •  Geezer Butler

This career spanning documentary on heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio delves deep into his incredible rise from 50's doo-wop crooner, to his early classic rock days in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, to replacing the iconic lead singer Ozzy Osborne in Black Sabbath, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Argott  •  Demian Fenton
CAST:  Ronnie James Dio  •  Wendy Dio  •  Tony Iommi  •  Geezer Butler