Not Invited but Still Fascinating: Crash into the One-Man-One-Dog World of Oto's Planet

Immersive storytelling is a new medium for narratives, a concept that has been discussed for years. A quintessential example is Chris Milk's 2016 TED Talk. The century-old film industry has always sought to tell stories within a frame, with "behind-the-scenes" content literally existing only outside that frame, showcasing how film professionals create the magic within it. However, in immersive storytelling, there is no physical frame; the story surrounds us and penetrates us, much like the Force. This approach represents a brand new perspective—a novel way of creating experiences that offers fresh opportunities and challenges for storytelling.

Thus, whenever I put on a VR headset and experience an XR content piece, I ask myself this question—has this story unlocked new possibilities for this medium?

Invited by the Kaohsiung Film Festival, I attended Asia's most representative immersive film exhibition, XR DREAMLAND. Among many participating and competing XR works, "Otto’s Planet" was a delightful gem that certainly provided an strong answer to my question.

All stories take place on "Otto’s Planet." (Source: KFF)

It was more like my subconscious threw it in my face

Otto’s Planet is a "small piece"—not because of its length (28 minutes is quite substantial for a VR experience), but because the experience truly feels "small." This mini planet, much like the one The Little Prince visited on his way to Earth after leaving planet B612, is home to a solitary man named Otto and his alien dog, Skippy. On this planet, where a few steps can take you around its entire circumference, Otto relaxes in his hammock and picks fruit from trees to eat. For Otto and his dog, life is easy and picturesque.

Director of "Otto's Planet," Gwenael François.

Taking the opportunity of the invitation, I sat down with this French director from Luxembourg and directly asked—could "Otto's Planet" and The Little Prince be from the same universe? Director Gwenael François neither confirmed nor denied this, honestly stating, "I think there are some childhood memories that probably influenced it subconsciously. It wasn’t a direct inspiration—it was more like my subconscious threw it in my face, you know?" Gwenael then mentioned Gloomy Eyes. He explained that he had seen some immersive works featuring small characters and liked them, which made him consider trying a similar theme, hence the idea of a small planet.

Only you can limit yourself

"Is the first-person perspective the original sin of VR?" This is a major question that has sparked heated discussions at creators' forums. Perhaps not coincidentally, this year's XR DREAMLAND featured several works that challenge traditional notions of "viewing perspectives" and "immersion." "Otto’s Planet," with its small planet setting, sidesteps this issue—by granting a viewers a god-like perspective. Viewers only need to raise their hands and pinch with their thumb and forefinger to position and rotate the planet up, down, left, and right. The scene zooms in and out at your command, and with a wave of your hand in mid-air, you’re completely free to observe the events on this planet.

"It’s very creative. When everyone is talking about immersive storytelling, they usually rely on things like lights or sounds to attract users. But with this approach, it’s just easier and more intuitive," I candidly expressed my admiration to the director.

"There are a lot of projects with many things happening around you, but in our case, it's the complete opposite. Around you, there's nothing—just stars—so you can focus entirely on what's in front of you: the planet itself. And that makes it a lot simpler," Gwenael winked playfully at me and continued, "The key part is involving the user in the story through interactions. The first interaction is touching the hammock to wake up Oto. The second is when Oto approaches the tree to grab a fruit, and you help him pick it. The idea is to have a linear story where the user interacts at certain points just to feel involved."

Walls are everywhere, and the twist ending catches you by surprise

With his pet dog Skippy, can Otto continue to live happily ever after? Of course not.

In a universe where the Fermi Paradox does not exist, Exo, an interstellar traveler, accidentally intrudes into Otto's home. Although Exo possesses advanced technology, he lacks manners as a guest, crashing onto Otto's serene planet, planting a flag, and building a wall, splitting the planet in two without consulting Otto.

Reminds you of the Apollo 11 moon landing, doesn't it? (Source: KFF)

Gwenael openly admitted that the uninvited guest's arrangement indeed references colonialism. "When I was writing the story, it was directly inspired by the idea of building walls in the real world—specifically by Donald Trump's project at the time. But as the project evolved, it became more universal, reflecting the reality that there are walls everywhere in the world, and there always will be. Each time, it’s about war, miscommunication, and borders. I thought it was interesting to explore that theme in this small story."

Another important aspect is that Exo seems very interested in Otto's sole food source—the pink fruits growing on the trees. What seems like a plot developing towards robbery and plunder takes an unexpected turn at this point—I won't spoil it, but it's chilling to think about. I believe those fortunate enough to have seen "Otto's Planet" at the Kaohsiung Film Festival would appreciate the twist ending.

Whatever Otto's on, I want some of that. (Source: KFF)

"I am curious about what the pink fruit represents. Could Exo have come to Oto’s Planet because of this mysterious fruit or something?" After all, magical fruits are common in traditional Chinese stories, such as Sun Wukong stealing the Queen Mother's peaches and gaining immortality. Unexpectedly, Gwenael played coy: "That's something that needs to be explored in another story. I do think the origin story of Exo needs to be told, so we'll see."