The Swiss Cheese Analogy

EDIT: the most recent evolution of this analogy (v2.5), along with an audio narration of it, can be found at https://juneyoon.info/#swisscheese

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Equipped with a BA in Theatre Education and a California Single-Subject Teaching Credential in Theatre Arts, I've taught the fundamentals of acting to countless high school students over eleven years during my career in education.

The following is the amalgamation of my knowledge and experience in working as an educator, director, producer, and now a voice actor.

The characters in the script are triangular pieces of Swiss Cheese.

You and I are real people. With thoughts, feelings, wants, insecurities, shoe sizes, and recollections about our favorite moments in video games. There is no doubt that you and I - in this universe - are indeed, real people.?

And we recognize each other as such. If I were to ask you what your pants size is, where you were born, PC or MAC, iOS or Android, or what your favorite food is, you would know. Because you are a real person.

Consider Romeo and Juliet: arguably, the most well-known script in the entire world, in the history of human kind. Romeo Montague, just like you and me, is a real person in that universe. If we could ask Romeo about his friends, favorite food, his memories of playing with his dad when he was 10 years old, he would know the answers to these questions. He’s a real person. In that universe. Just like we are real people in this universe.

However, we know that Romeo is a fictitious character. He’s not real. As much as we’d like to ask him more questions about his friendship with Mercutio, he is unable to tell us. And Shakespeare is not coming back to answer those questions either. What we have in the script is all the information there is.

This means there are missing pieces of information about Romeo. He is a person, and therefore prefers a certain color when it comes to his pants. He knows it, but we don’t know it. He does have a favorite food, but we don’t know it.?

Those pieces of information that are missing - the ones we just simply are not able to obtain - are the holes in the Swiss Cheese.?

And if we say that characters in the script are cheese - that Romeo Montague is cheese - then we, too, are cheeses. June Cheese. Kira Cheese. Dave Cheese. YourName _Cheese.mp3. With our own distinct smells, origins, flavors, colors, textures, history, and more. We are our own individual cheeses, and no two cheeses will smell/look/taste alike. The difference, however, between the Swiss Cheese and us is that we are full-block cheeses. We do not have holes. We don’t have that problem. We pretty much know everything there is to know about ourselves.?

And the idea here is to examine and analyze this Swiss Cheese: identify where, how big, and what shapes these holes are in the Swiss Cheese. And then to turn the same analytical eye on our own cheeses. To identify the parts of our cheeses: who we are, what our story, what our journey has been. Then to scoop out, and to place into the holes of the Swiss Cheese.

I wear 9.5 sized shoes. I don’t know what Romeo’s actual shoe size is. But it is now 9.5. I’m choosing it is as so. We don’t know what Romeo’s favorite food is - the script doesn’t tell us. But now, it’s Korean BBQ. And tacos. Carne Asada. Salsa verde.

What we are doing is filling the holes of the Swiss Cheese with our own information. Our own selves. Injecting into the Swiss Cheese the information that makes us who we are as human beings. As actors. And as we insert the pieces of our own cheeses into these holes, what we are creating is this wonderful hybrid, fusion cheese that has never existed before. The June-Swiss Cheese. That smells, looks, tastes, and feels like no other cheese like it, anywhere in the world, throughout history.?

Is this not the very definition of authenticity? Sincerity, honesty, and believability in characterization? Bringing our authentic selves along with our own brand of aroma, color, and texture, into the Swiss Cheese and truly - honestly - creating a never-before-existed piece of triangular block of cheese. It’s pretty exciting even if you don’t like cheese. Casting would be foaming at the mouth at wanting to take a bite out that.

It needs to be said that the Swiss Cheese by itself is perfectly fine for consumption. It pairs well with merlot and some grapes. And if you consume the Swiss Cheese as-is, straight from the pages of the script, it’s perfectly fine. That’s what reading the script is. As actors, we know - that simply “reading it” is never enough. Not at all. Neither is the act of giving the Swiss Cheese right back to casting.?

When we think, “what do they want?” and try to tailor our performance to what we THINK they want — which is impossible to know, by the way, unless you can read minds — and send out the mp3, we’re essentially giving the Swiss Cheese right back. With the holes filled with what’s SEEMINGLY Swiss Cheese that we’ve disguised as Swiss Cheese. It might look it. It might even smell like it. But I promise - once the casting director takes a bite, she will know. The color will be slightly off. The smell, the texture will be slightly off. And I guarantee, she will taste the fabrication and dislike it.

Instead of trying to create a full-block Swiss Cheese with what you think Swiss Cheese tastes and smells like - as in, trying to guesstimate what casting is looking for - I’m encouraging you to fill those holes with your own. To intentionally blend the flavors and the colors of the Swiss Cheese with your own. Boldly, confidently, unapologetically. Casting will appreciate your boldness in presenting your unique interpretation of the character and the authenticity of your person, rather than a meek and guesstimated attempt at trying to replicate what the Swiss Cheese should be.

They’re looking for you. YOU. Not for the Swiss Cheese they sent out to come right back.

As a concept, as an analogy, it makes sense. It’s fine. You’re smart people. But HOW do we do that? What is the process to analyze both cheeses and to create this fusion cheese? It’s Uta Hagen’s Nine Questions.?

Uta Hagen is a well-known theatre practitioner - well-known for her nine questions that actors should ask before stepping onto the stage. Her questions have helped countless actors, and it’s what I use every day. I’ve simply rephrased her questions and reformed them to make those questions fit the contexts of a voice actor.

Question 1 is “Who am I?”?

This is the easiest question. Who am I? Who is this character? YOU are who you are, and YOU are this character. We’re not trying to “put on this character’s shoes” or “getting into this character’s headspace.” We are simply existing, thinking, moving, talking, yelling, singing, and swinging our claymores at our enemies as we authentically and naturally would do in our own lives.?

You are a character. So am I. Believe you and me, this “June Yoon” that you know, is a character I play. Every single day, for the past 42 years. From the moment I wake up, to the moment I go to bed, I play this character named June. In fact, I do it so well that I don’t even think about doing it. When I extend my hand out for a handshake, and say “hi, I’m June.” people believe me without a moment of hesitation. Pre-COVID, of course. I am also 100,000% confident that I am the best actor suited to play the character of June. There is no actor in the world who can play the character of June Yoon better than I can. Absolutely no one. Not even John Cho. Okay, maybe John Cho.

“June” is a character. And I am the best actor for this role. Then this thought becomes naturally obvious - why don’t I use the character that I know the best - that character I can naturally, authentically play without even thinking about acting as - and put that character in the story? In the audition? Many things are uncertain in the world, but that character in whatever story I put into? I KNOW that character will be real. Authentic. Honest. 100% of the time. Because I’m simply playing the role as myself - the character that I know how to play the best. Instead of trying to be someone else.?

You’ll hear “be yourself” a lot - this is why. This is the logical, thought-out explanation behind the sentiments of “you’re enough," “bring yourself,” and “just be yourself.” Because you are, indeed, enough - and you are authentic. In this universe. As you are.

Let’s say that you come across an audition for a character named Peter. For the purposes of that audition, I want you to cross out the name “Peter” and put your name there. His name is no longer Peter - it’s YOU.?

#2. What is my relationship? Here’s a random line from a random audition script:

“Excellent. I trust that we will have zero problems from here on. Right?”

Every time we speak, we are speaking to someone. Even if it’s you talking to yourself, you’re still talking TO yourself. There’s always another character. Sometimes, the script will tell you:

“Excellent. I trust that we will have zero problems from here on. Right, mom?”

But most of the time, it does not. When there’s zero information about who you could be talking with in this audition line, we have to make a choice. A CHOICE.

We have already established that YOU are the character in this story. But YOU may not necessarily say these words, or may never have said them. But IF YOU WERE to say these words to someone, who could that potentially be? It should not be some random “friend.” This is YOUR story - a story which revolves around YOU. Therefore, this person must be someone who you know. Either from real life or someone you’ve gotten to know inside a fictitious world. I’m a gigantic fan of Final Fantasy 7. I KNOW Cloud Strife. As if he was real in my world, I KNOW that guy.

For demonstration purposes, let’s talk to Cloud. Now, we have more information about this brief moment. I’m talking to Cloud. From FF7. That Cloud.

At the same time, the fact that we have identified the other character in the conversation as Cloud just isn’t enough. We need more information. The hole in the Swiss Cheese is big, and we’ve only placed a small sliver in there by simply identifying. What matters more, is the RELATIONSHIP.?

Just as I have, in 1997, when my 17-year old self delved into his imagination and made himself a part of AVALANCHE, Cloud and I are good friends and colleagues in arms. In disc 3, after Nibelheim. Akin to Wedge or Biggs, perhaps. I imagine being able to jokingly punch him on the shoulder, and both of us being able to comfortably laugh it off, while I feel my fist bounce off the toned muscle in his right shoulder.?

These words in the audition script will come out of my mouth one way, according to this relationship. If I were talking with someone else, with whom I have a different relationship, these words will most certainly come out differently. Identify who you’re talking to and specify what the relationship is. How the two of you feel about each other. And this CHOICE - the bolder and stronger you can make it, the more engaging and more interesting performance will result.?

#3. Where am I, and What surrounds me? ?

I’m going to CHOOSE to say this line to Cloud aboard the little ship that goes to Costa Del Sol after Junon. Our ragtag crew stows aboard a ship and makes our way across the ocean to another continent, and the precise and specific location is the lower deck of the ship.

What surrounds me - metal walls, boxes of things that are being transported to their destinations, wrapped under tarps and tie-downs, a few bodies of the crew whom we’ve defeated in order to steal their uniforms off of, enveloped in dim blue lighting.

If we were on a sunny beach of Costa Del Sol, and lounging on the beach with drinks with little umbrellas in them, this line would certainly come out differently. If I were on a hospital bed, dying, while Cloud stood over me, holding my hand as I forced out this line with my last breath, this line would come out very differently. Going back, if we were in the CORNER of the lower decks, this could tell a different story as opposed to from the middle of the room with everyone around us. The physical location makes a difference, and the more specific, the better.?

#4. What time is it?

Mechanically, hopefully you’re aware that you sound different throughout the day. You aurally, physically, sound different in the morning, afternoon, evening, and at 3am. Specifying the time in which this moment takes place can also help to inform you, the actor, about how this line should be delivered. In my story, it’s 11pm. Under the cover of darkness, we jumped on board, and by the time we’ve taken care of the guards in here, it’s 11pm.

If this was taking place at 4am. If this ship was a red-eye ship where everyone is expected to be asleep, stowing aboard would have been an easier task, perhaps. We would be much more fatigued - as it is 4am, and therefore will sound a certain way aurally - and because it’s so quiet around here without the hubbub of other people, we would have to be a lot quieter. Specificity in the choices we make brings information to us, so that we would know how to say these words.

#5. Given Circumstance.?

Up till now, we’ve been filling the empty holes of the cheese, assuming that no information was given to us whatsoever from the get go. If the script does not inform us of these details, we need to fill the holes with our own information. However, sometimes the script does tell us some of these things. Again, the example audition line:

“Excellent. I trust that we will have zero problems from here on. Right?”

is only a tiny sliver of a larger story. Meaning, there are words above that line and below the line, as the story continues on. The Given Circumstance points to the story that existed prior to this moment and how that story leads up to this specific moment.

In this instance, we DO have a small bit of information. A hint, perhaps. And it’s found in “from here on” which indicates there have been problems in the past. Whether the problem was a centuries-long feud between two clans or a problem that happened 20 seconds ago, there was indeed some sort of a problem in the past and it has apparently been resolved. I’m sure you can come up with your own interpretation, but here are a few that I can think of:

My neighbor John, whose house had been under construction for a few months - noise, pollution, dust, etc - is on the front lawn of his house. I happen to come outside to retrieve the newspaper and see him. Seeing how the construction is finally over, I tell him, “so, it’s all finished, huh? Looks great.” He replies, “yeah, all done here. Sorry for the noise and the dust.” To which I reply with “Excellent. I trust that we will have zero problems from here on. Right?” in a friendly, neighborly way. Fist bump, and back into the house.

It’s 3am. Construction finally concluded earlier today, and now John is having a loud party to celebrate the remodel. My kids have woken up for the 3rd time due to the noise, so I grab my katana, walk over to the house, go inside, grab John by the cuff of his shirt, and throw him against the TV on the wall. As the shocked guests react, I unsheathe the sword and pierce his left shoulder with the blade. There’s blood everywhere, and I can hear the sirens in the distance already. I lean down into his face, as I slowly rotate the katana in his shoulder, and say the following slowly, poignantly, as I enjoy the sound of his pained yelps: “Excellent. I trust that we will have zero problems from here on. Right?”

I am the chairman of the home association in this community and I hold some influential powers over my neighbors. Helen and her family recently moved in and they’re not well-aware of who I am and “how things work around here.” Against the rules, she had built a fence around her front lawn two weeks ago. I casually informed her that this was against the community rules and that it needed to be taken down. She proceeds to ignore me and keeps it up. So I hire my construction guys to tear it down FOR her and send her an invoice. In rebellion, Helen knocks over my mailbox. So, naturally, her husband has an unfortunate accident that nearly kills him. Realizing what has happened, Helen comes over and apologizes with a large envelope of 20 dollar bills. To which I reply, “Excellent. I trust that we will have zero problems from here on. Right?”

Yes, I’m aware that I have an antagonistic tendency when it comes to these - they’re just more fun! xD?

In the stories above - three distinctly different Given Circumstances were given. And if YOU were the character in this story, you would know how YOU would say these words. These instances are, indeed, fictitious in nature. John and I have a great neighborly relationship, I have no idea who Helen is. However, I CAN imagine how I would say those words if these Given Circumstance were an actual occurrence.

Now is a great time for this question - if we’re relying on the fact that we’re using ourselves in the story, then shouldn’t these contextual information that we’re establishing also be based on our own history and experience?

Yes, indeed! For auditions and characters that are leaning closer to the real-world stories, it would be most beneficial to make your contextual choices from the real world experiences and history of your character.

At the same time, character voice acting is dynamic and vast - involving characters and stories that are way out of our normal boundaries of what “real” is.?

Here’s a question. If you had won the lottery, and received 100 million dollars, how would you react? What would you buy? How would you spend the money? What will you do? This scenario is hypothetical - it’s fictitious. But you know the PRECISE answers to these questions, don’t you? This means we do, indeed, have the ability to create a fictitious circumstance and context, and authentically exist inside of it. Because you’re able to imagine your life as a millionaire - more specifically, precisely how you’d react at the moment of learning you had won the lottery.

Filling the holes of the Swiss Cheese that are labeled “Given Circumstance” is important. The more specific you can get - the more specific the information you establish/choices you make - the more interesting and authentic your delivery becomes.

#6. What do I want?

Whenever we communicate, there is an objective. By now, with choices that have been made in the prior steps, the OBJECTIVE - what you want - should become clear. In my story, in the friendly exchange that ends in a fist bump, I want him to know that I’m relieved the construction is over, that I accept his apology, and let him know that I’m not mad - which is further verified by the fist bump. I might give a hint of wanting future reassurance in the “Right?” at the end, perhaps, and it’s something I would play with and see how it’d feel.?

To conclude, the work that we do - the craft that we hone - is multi-faceted. One is the active exercise of the creative imagination muscle that allows us to dream up strong and bold choices in establishing the context. And to do it consistently. Another is the work of increasing our self-awareness. Actors who know a lot about themselves as people, are generally better actors - they’ve observed, analyzed, and studied themselves and others - then have archived that information into their bones. It’s having a high-level of self-awareness that allows you to really look at your cheese and efficiently scoop out a good chunk that could fit in those certain holes. One must know the self. Really well. Another is the ability to exist in a story as bare and vulnerable as we are. Giving ourselves the permission, granting us the freedom, and absolutely eliminating all judgement - unapologetically - so that we can focus singularly on existing authentically in that specific moment. In that moment when those words may fall out of our mouths, as they naturally would.

Lastly, happiness. This process should provide you with happiness. Not necessarily the roles you book - although that’s great as well - but the process of gearing up for audition recording sessions, the execution of characterization, and the consistent persistency in the desire to hone one’s capabilities in characterization. When the PROCESS of acting becomes, or is, the happiness, then you know you’re most definitely in the right place. It is entirely possible to DISCOVER that this is a happiness as well. Everyone belongs here and is offered a seat. However you arrive here, as long as the happiness is undoubtably felt during all processes of characterization in voice acting, you will succeed. Of this, I have no doubt.?

I hope this information has been helpful to you. This is version 2.0 and there may be even more insightful revisions down the line as I continue to hone my own craft of teaching. Should you have any questions about any of this, please feel free to reach out - via email, DM, or any other way. Education is a huge happiness in my life, and I look forward to helping you on your journey as a voice actor.?

June Yoon [email protected]