Film-level craft for modern brands.
Your story, in motion.
Based in Melbourne, Australia,
and Cologne, Germany.
A creative studio
shaping brands
through cinematic
design & animation
SELECTED PROJECTS
Services
Creative Direction
End-to-end visual leadership — from the first spark of an idea to the final mastered delivery.
We shape the creative strategy, define the look and feel, and guide execution so every frame supports the concept.
That means setting tone, rhythm, and narrative clarity early, then protecting it through styleframes, tests, reviews, and production.
Brand Worlds
Cinematic brand systems built to live everywhere — not just a logo, but a whole visual universe.
We develop identity frameworks, motion language, typography/graphic rules, and key imagery that hold together across formats and platforms.
Whether it’s a campaign toolkit, product film language, or an evolving brand world, everything is designed to feel consistent, recognisable, and scalable.
Main Titles & Storytelling
Main titles and narrative design that set the emotional temperature from the first second.
We translate themes, character, and cultural context into visual metaphor — then craft it into a sequence with strong pacing, reveal, and payoff.
From pitch decks and styleframes to final animation and finishing, story-led design that feels cinematic, memorable, and deeply considered.
3D Motion DESIGN & VFX
High-end 3D design and motion craft with film-grade detail and polish.
This includes look development, lighting, texturing, animation, simulations where needed — all built to hold up in close-up and in motion.
We focus on materials, scale, camera language, and compositing so the final result feels grounded and premium, whether it’s abstract brand visuals, product work, or sequence-driven storytelling.
Sound Design
Sound design and audio direction that completes the picture — shaping pacing, emotion, and impact.
We build sonic palettes that match the visual world: texture, movement, transitions, and accents that make edits land harder and moments feel more alive.
From subtle design support to bold, rhythmic sound beds, the aim is always the same: audio that enhances clarity, elevates tone, and makes the work feel finished.
About
Studio Trench is a boutique creative studio built on cinematic craft, design intelligence, and technical precision.
Run by creatives Cornel Swoboda and Dennis Weyel, Trench was founded in 2025 — built on a collaboration that’s been evolving since 2003.
Cornel leads narrative-led art direction and concept development, shaped by years working with US-based studios and clients including Netflix, Disney, Lionsgate, Nike, and music artists.
Dennis is the technical director: a designer and problem-solver focused on robust pipelines and making ambitious ideas real — while also running the Houdini User Group in Cologne.
We stay small on purpose: nimble, hands-on, and detail-obsessed. That means senior attention on every project, direct collaboration, and fast decision-making — without layers, handoffs, or dilution.
When scope demands it, we scale through a trusted network of top Houdini and Cinema 4D artists — assembling the right team for the job, then leading it tightly from first idea to final delivery.
The result is a studio that can move like a small crew, deliver like a larger one, and keep the standard consistent all the way through.
Because Trench operates across Australia and Europe, we’re set up for seamless time-zone coverage. We overlap naturally with APAC and European teams, hand off to the US overnight, and keep work moving with quick turnarounds, clear communication, and less downtime between rounds.
Trench is where craft meets clarity: building worlds, defining motion language, and delivering film-grade 3D, Houdini work, and compositing with a high bar for taste and finish —
for brands that value strong choices, clean execution, and work that holds up on a big screen.
