Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Hunt for Gollum is a 2009 British fantasy fan film directed by Chris Bouchard, based on the appendices of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It debuted at the Sci-Fi-London film festival and was released free on the internet on the 3rd of May 2009.
The Hunt for Gollum was made on a budget of less than three thousand pounds, spent entirely on costumes, equipment, food, and props. The crew of 160 people all volunteered their time.
The film reached three million views in its first three months and ten million views by the 20th of October 2009. Viewings had risen to over fourteen million by 2025.
Location filming took place in North Wales, Epping Forest, and Hampstead Heath. The sound mix was completed at the Futureworks studio in Manchester.
The production is completely unofficial and unauthorized. However, Chris Bouchard stated that he reached an understanding with Tolkien Enterprises in 2009, under which the film was permitted as long as it remained completely non-profit.
The Balticon Film Festival for amateur short films awarded The Hunt for Gollum its Best Live Action award in 2009.