When Fidelity Investments' internal audit group held its annual two-day educational meeting last October, attendees got to direct the action. And be stars, too.

The 100 employees who met in Boston for training sessions also got to flex their creative muscles during a teambuilding event that split them into groups to create, star in, and film an original movie. Teams were given a theme as well as a budget to “shop” for equipment such as digital video cameras, costumes, and props. Then they were let loose to film their masterpieces throughout the hotel.

The Make-a-Movie event, run by Boston-based Teambonding (www.teambonding.com), was just the thing to add some fun and get the company message across, says Jennifer Valentine, a specialist in the professional practices department of Fidelity's internal audit group. “We had a screening and, using real-time voting software, everyone voted on their favorites,” she says. The movies came out so well, Valentine has shown them at other internal events, and one, based on the theme of “delivering results,” was so creative and well-executed, she has screened it for some of Fidelity's senior execs.

“This activity was the highest-rated teambuilding session we have ever done,” says Valentine. And it was more than just a fun break, she notes. The project got attendees discussing the meeting's themes and working together.

Her advice: Have ample breakout space and at least three hours for movie-making and screening. And be sure to check if there are any restrictions on filming at the property. Make-a-Movie events are for groups of 12 to 120.