Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which celebrated its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.
The film encompasses the worlds of design, advertising, psychology, and communication, and invites us to take a second look at the thousands of words we see every day.
Interviewees in Helvetica include some of the most illustrious and innovative names in the design world, including Erik Spiekermann, Matthew Carter, Massimo Vignelli, Wim Crouwel, Hermann Zapf, Neville Brody, Stefan Sagmeister, Michael Bierut, David Carson, Paula Scher, Jonathan Hoefler, Tobias Frere-Jones, Experimental Jetset, Michael C. Place, Norm, Alfred Hoffmann, Mike Parker, Bruno Steinert, Otmar Hoefer, Leslie Savan, Rick Poynor, and Lars Müller.

A hero is just someone who acts selflessly, out of concern for others, at personal risk and without the expectation of reward. In this episode, Michael Stevens asks employees to help him run a seemingly dangerous experiment, to see if they would blow the whistle to stop him.

Who are you? Do you even know who you are? Are you your memories? Are you the choices you make? Are you you? Or are you someone else, but manipulated to be you? If you can lose track of your past and your memories can be altered or implanted, in the end, who are you really? Michael Stevens finds out as he explores what makes you you.

We're going to see if forcing your facial expression can change the way you feel. If you remove the ability to make facial expressions with botox, will it affect how the people perceive emotions in them?
How do facial expressions affect emotion, and how does emotion affect facial expressions? Michael Stevens finds out when he explores the face.

When it comes to illusions, optical illusions get all the attention. But the whole body you have can be fooled and can fool the brain. What is touch? Is it real, or is it just in our heads? Michael Stevens decides to find out.

Everyone always wants to be able to choose - but who really makes these choices? And do we really want to have more choices? Michael Stevens finds out as he explores decision-making.