STUDIO 12 JOURS was founded in 2018 by Didier CHANOT, a filmmaker and musician rooted in the alternative music scene of the South of France. His love affair with cinema began early. Like so many, the first sparks were lit in darkened movie theatres during childhood. But the real turning point came during adolescence. Skateboarding, first live concerts, early road trips with friends — that sweeping sense of freedom was captured and documented with the first consumer camcorders.
A self-taught creator at heart, and a committed devotee of the Punk culture’s “Do It Yourself” ethos, Didier trained himself in digital editing, framing, distribution, encoding and motion design — mastering the entire creative production chain.
Over 30 years (and more cameras than can be counted), every project became an opportunity to experiment, deepen knowledge and discover new possibilities. From music videos to short films, from motion graphics for VJing to live event coverage, and among the very first vlogs on MySpace — Didier Chanot produced some fifteen music videos for the bands he played in (Gondofares – Mandrac), as well as the films projected on stage during live performances.
In 2018, after a decade spent in advertising agencies with a daily focus on motion design, STUDIO 12 JOURS was founded with a single ambition: to offer turnkey video content creation solutions. Scriptwriting, shooting, editing, colour grading, motion design and sound design — the studio was built to integrate every competency required for effective video communication.
The acquisition of new cameras was accompanied by in-depth colour science training on DaVinci Resolve, the industry standard for colour correction in cinema worldwide.
Skateboarding, the starting point of many! A lifelong passion for skateboarding led to the launch of a dedicated Slow Motion service in late 2021. This highly specialised discipline demands both specific skills and technical equipment — including cameras capable of shooting at 1,000 frames per second and ultra-powerful, flicker-free lighting — all of which the studio acquired to master its every subtlety.
In 2024, the studio co-directed the music video “Old Horse” with the band Old Ships — awarded the Crystal Pine Award for Best Music Video at the International Sound & Film Music Festival.
The next chapter is still being written…
