"When you're only one of the things in his dream ...

... you know very well you're not real."

So, I finally have a cut of the animatic I'm happy with. And I've done more chopping than a woodcutter. Lots of stuff had to go so that all the good stuff could stay. But those things gone from the film aren't gone from the Grimmwood forever.

I had at one point several "Grimm" cameos. But those cameos had to go in favor of not spending time setting up scenes that I didn't really need and giving all that time instead to Red and the wolves who's story this is.

The three Doctor's where once my kid sister's favorite story. I suppose, in part, that this is where the Grimmwood came from. You see, my little sister's ten years younger than me and I used to read bedtime stories to her. The story goes that there were once three surgeons who took their boasts regarding their medical capabilities just a little too far. They proposed to remove some vital part of their anatomy only to replace it the following morning aided by a miracle salve. Good old 'miracle' salves! One plucked out his eyes, one cut off his arm and one took out his heart.

Later that night, whilst the doctor's slept a maid at the inn (and her boyfriend), famished after a days work, ate all these vital bits and bobs ... as you do when you're home late from the pub, you'll eat anything right? I dare say they even covered the morbid morsels with marmite, just to give it that extra something. Anyway, realizing her mistake - oops, silly maid - she replaced those vital organs with a severed thief's hand, cat's eyes and a pig's heart and much hillarity ensues thereafter. It ends with a compensation payout you wouldn't believe. Pretty gross story. But, my sister LOVED it!!!

It didn't stop there. Oh no. My sister wanted more. But there were no more tales of the three surgeons in the "bumper book of wildly inappropriate stories for children" that I was reading from so what was I to do but make them up?!?! Night after night I told stories about how the three doctors went on many disgusting adventures where limb after limb got lopped off or mangled. It was a journey of hideous mutilation. But.... my sister LOVED it!!!

Add to this, she wasn't satisfied if she thought I was making it up so I had to pretend I was actually reading from the "bumper book of wildly inappropriate stories for children".

So, who what where and when now? Well, in the Grimmwood film they appeared as field surgeons for the red hoods and are somewhat mechanically enhanced (well, it was a considerable payout after all). A steampunk element thrown into the mix. But it didn't sit well in the film so I plucked it out, as I'm certain anyone of the doctors would have done given half the chance. They'll be back one day... just not in this story from the Grimmwood.

Grimmwood and all production work is © 2006, Ian Culbard, All rights Reserved.