Fan filmmaking get taken to the next level by The Hunt For Gollum, a remarkable movie made “by fans, for fans”.

The Hunt For Gollum may be the greatest fan film ever made. In fact, I hesitate to even call it a “fan film” because it’s just so well done; there are professional movies and TV shows that don’t look this good. The 40 minute production was inspired by the appendices of JRR Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings and acts as a bridge between the Tolkein’s The Hobbit and the LOTR Trilogy. It looks absolutely stunning and was shot on a budget of just £3,000 (about $4,500 US). Although it has a few weak points – mostly some of the acting in the early scenes – it’s an incredible achievement for so-called “fan cinema”.

If someone can make this for less than $5,000, what’s preventing you from making the movie you want to?