The formula for the perfect film

The different components that make up the prefect motion picture have been identified by a television Psychologist. Professor Geoffrey Beattie - whose TV credits include BBC One shows Tomorrow's World and Child of Our Time - created the formula on behalf of insurer Direct Line and based it on research of 2,000 adults in the UK.

Professor Beattie highlighted a film that appeals to a universal audience should be a funny science fiction flick that offers a romantic subplot and features at least one twist.

The movie should also include some nudity, action scenes and chase sequences, as well as being rounded off with a happy ending.

Professor Beattie - who conducted the study to mark the launch of a motion picture competition entitled 40 Seconds Straight - said: "Films take us on an emotional journey ... and when we have finished watching a film we often feel a degree of psychological satisfaction."

Movies are important to individuals because they offer a narrative and add meaning to experiences, he added.