Director's Works
HateAid, Gnome Hunting Luca Carubia
Luca Carubia recently completed his postgraduate studies in Motion Design at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg (2022–2025), where he has been developing his own visual language through film-based and experimental projects. Alongside his main studies, he has been a guest student in “Klasse Thomas” at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart (2023–2025), expanding his approach to visual communication through conceptual and typographic exploration. Luca‘s academic foundation began at the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, where he earned his BA in Communication Design (2019–2022), cultivating a strong grounding in design principles and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Professionally, he works as a Motion Designer since 2023, balancing client work with personal creative development. Recent commissions include projects for SOOT WORLD New York (2024). His industry experience also includes internships at internationally renowned studios such as Studio Dumbar (2024) and PlusOne Amsterdam (2023), where he contributed to projects in the tech and cultural sectors. These roles exposed him to a wide range of workflows, from brand-driven motion systems to experimental visual storytelling. "Gnome Hunting" was Luca's first work as a director and also his diploma project at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg as a motion designer.
A teenager stumbles into the viral TikTok trend “Gnome Hunting,” which appears harmless at first but is, in fact, rooted in antisemitic codes. As he scrolls through his feed, playful videos gradually turn darker, blurring the line between online content and lived reality. Without noticing, he is drawn further into an endless stream where algorithms amplify hidden dog whistles and extremist narratives. The spot reveals how innocent symbols can be weaponized, how platforms prioritize engagement over ethics, and how easily young users can be manipulated into radicalization without ever realizing they are part of a larger, dangerous game.
The spot is based on a real TikTok Trend that appeared in 2023. On the surface it seemed like a harmless game, but in reality it was steeped in antisemitism. In this context, gnomes were coded references to Jewish people, and “hunting” them was a euphemism for targeting Jews. This trend followed other antisemitic dog whistles such as #thenoticing and the echo, and spread rapidly as many users unwittingly participated in its hateful message. Some “gnome hunting” TikToks reached over 1.7 million views, showing how far this rhetoric went beyond extremist circles.
The project blends motion design, editing and cinematic elements to create a dynamic visual experience. Using animated UI elements, real social media content from YouTube and TikTok, and live action footage, it captures the dual nature of social media — both playful and dangerous.
The client HateAid is a non-profit organization that advocates for human rights in the digital space and is committed to combating digital violence and its consequences on both a social and political level.
"Gnome Hunting" is a spec spot that was created in the Motion Design program at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Germany) under Prof. Dr. Heike Sperling and Alexander Hanowski.
