Chris Bouchard, the director of The Hunt For Gollum
Superheroes and Sci-Fi always seem to lead the way when it comes to franchises that get the fan film treatment. Perhaps it’s because they’re more challenging to low-budget filmmakers; it’s not easy to make it look like your actors are on another planet, or that a superhero is tossing cars like empty beer cans.
Fantasy, on the other hand, has its own difficulties, but if you live in the country, your settings are easier to come by and you can get the privacy you need to film, so that your actors don’t feel quite so dopey dressed up in throw rugs as they wave swords around in the woods. OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit (which is to say, I am), but for some reason, fantasy fan films are few and far between (how’s that for alliteration?). Nonetheless, when the backyard productions turn to the realm of swords and sorcery, they usually take a shot at the world of J.R.R. Tolkein’s Middle Earth. For instance, take these productions: The Hunt for Gollum and .
• The Hunt for Gollum is one of the most eagerly anticipated fan films in the LOTR arena these days, and now it’s wrapped production as of last week. Director Chris Bouchard noted on the film’s website:
Lead actor Adrian has wrapped all his scenes and the post production team are diving into the rough cut, complete with punchy sound design and ambitious CGI. All that remains is to film 7 shots of a horse this Sunday and then we’re ready to set our release date. This we intend to be end of December, although we may decide to push it back to January to make sure everything is completed to the highest standards.
FCT isn’t the only media outlet excited about this, as proven by the sizable Bouchard interview on the SFX Magazine blog the other day. In it, Bouchard reveals how he’s bringing Middle Earth to life for a mere £3,000 in this prequel to the Rings trilogy.
• Can’t wait until the end of the year to get your LOTR fan film fix? Give a gaze at , an oddball silent film that follows, well, a little orc who stumbles across two well-known Hobbits one sunny afternoon. Created by Nina Kempf and Ed Martinez, this YouTube film is a little long, but it has its moments and the costumes look pretty good to my untrained eyes. See what you think and share your thoughts in the comments below.
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