Awesome LOTR-inspired fan-made prequels on YouTube

[user1397]

I found two Lord of the Rings prequels made supposedly just by fans of the works of Tolkien, on very modest budgets (less than $5000 for the first one it says)

There is the really short one (40 minute) 'The Hunt for Gollum (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H09xnhlCQU)' and the 71 minute 'Born of Hope (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qINwCRM8acM).'

I found them really well made for the budgets they had. The acting is quite good, and they even manage some pretty kickass fighting scenes and computer animation.

Has anyone seen them, and if you have, what do you think of them?

[Megaptera]

A slight claim to fame? My daughter went to school with one of the young girls in Born of Hope (Maia), and I sometimes work in the same building as the lady who plays Ivorwen.

[user1397]

A slight claim to fame? My daughter went to school with one of the young girls in Born of Hope (Maia), and I sometimes work in the same building as the lady who plays Ivorwen.Really?! Wow, that's pretty awesome!

[Megaptera]

Yeah, it's a small world, I didn't know these connections until "Maia's" mum posted a link to Born of Hope on Facebook, 'cos "Maia" has moved away from here some 18 months or so ago.