Posts Tagged ‘Jimmy Wolk’

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The call with Brad Cohen and actor Jimmy Wolk (Front of the Class) on May 25th at 7pm/EST will last 1 hour. Learn more about what happened behind the scenes on the set of the movie. Understand how an actor portrays someone with TS successfully. Feel free to email us questions to read during the call. The conference call is free to the public.

E-mail us and ask for calling numbers and access codes for the conference call.  When you email us, an auto-respond email will be sent to you with instructions: tsawareness@bradcohentourettefoundation.com

You can also click here to learn more about TS Awareness Month

Feel free to share this information with anyone who may be interested.  Education about Tourette Syndrome will continue to make a difference for those who live with the condition daily.  This event is sponsored by The Brad Cohen Tourette Foundation.  Thanks for the support!

Cheers, Brad

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Join Brad Cohen during Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month for some conference calls with guests to create awareness for Tourette Syndrome. This series is titled “Talking Tourette with Brad Cohen and Guests.” Brad will be speaking with the following people on these dates:

May 17th 7pm/EST Brad’s mother, Ellen speaking from a mother’s point of view
May 25th 7pm/EST Jimmy Wolk, actor from Front of the Class -get the inside scoop from the movie
June 3rd 7pm/EST Sheryl Pruitt, author and educational specialist on Tourette syndrome-learn more about the co-morbid conditions of TS and educational strategies in the classroom
June 12th noon/EST Dylan Peters, author of the book Tic Talk speaking from a child’s point of view on advocacy

Click here to learn more about TS Awareness Month

E-mail us and ask for calling numbers and access codes for the conference calls: tsawareness@bradcohentourettefoundation.com

Each call will last 1 hour. Feel free to email us questions to read during the call. All four conference calls are free to the public.

Help us spread the word about this event to help create more awareness for Tourette Syndrome. This event is sponsored by The Brad Cohen Tourette Foundation. Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month is from May 15 – June 15 2010. Join us on Facebook too by clicking here!

Cheers, Brad

Brad, Dominic and Jimmy hanging out in between sets

Neither Jimmy Wolk or Dominic Scott Kay had Tourette Syndrome in real life. They are both actors. They both did an amazing job learning about my tics. The director video taped me before they started shooting the film as I talked about my Tourette’s. I explained all the tics I’ve had and how and when I do them. I explained that their is a method behind the madness with TS and that each tic has its own reason behind it. They also watch old video tapes of me growing up and during my first year of teaching. In order to assure the tics were consistent throughout the movie as well as between Jimmy and Dominic, they had a dialect coach to work with them the entire time. Mary MacDonald, also the voice of on-star and other voice-overs, was their coach. She did an amazing job working with them for over 5 weeks. Both Jimmy and Dominic said they were worn out after each day of shooting the film because of all the tics they did. They told me they could get a massage on set whenever they wanted.

How did you think Jimmy and Dominic did acting as a Touretter?

Hello,

It is time to introduce you to me, or shall I say Jimmy Wolk, who plays me in Front of the Class.  Jimmy is a great person and an even better guy.  He’s got a great personality and gets along with everyone.  I know the people on the set took a liking to Jimmy from the beginning.  We really have a lot in common.  This is Jimmy’s first big role and something tells me you’ll be seeing a lot more of him.  I first learned about Jimmy during casting when the producers and directors said they felt they had someone special to play me.  He was not a big name in the industry, but they kept saying “This guy can act!”  They took a risk and the rest was history. 

Jimmy first had to learn about not only me and my personality, but also about Tourette Syndrome.  I was recorded on video and explained to Jimmy that there is a method behind the madness with the Tourette’s.  That each tic has its own personality.  We wanted to make sure that the tics in the film came across naturally, almost unconsciously.  We didn’t want it to be forced.  Jimmy learned and then he acted.  And he did a great job.

When I first arrived in Shreveport on set, people thought I was Jimmy, but then they realized it was the “real” Brad Cohen and they quickly said “Wow, Jimmy really has Brad down nicely.”  Our tics were identical.  Jimmy’s positive energy came across throughout the entire movie.  I’m honored to have Jimmy play me in the movie.  As I told Jimmy, this movie is about the underdog getting a chance and becoming successful.  Similarly, Jimmy was the underdog for the part as many other big name people were up for it, but the directors and producers took a risk on Jimmy and he is about to shock the world.  Thank to Hallmark Hall of Fame for taking the risk and giving Jimmy his first gig.  I’d say he did a heck of a job! Cheers