Aaron Blum The Best Documentary award at the recent 2005 Conejo Teen Video Festival went to Aaron Blum, a 15-year-old Thousand Oaks High School student. His film, “What is Cicada?” chronicles how a teen band, named after the noisy insect, formed, recorded its first CD and prepared for a show. Blum also documented one of Cicada’s actual performances.

Blum said that he shot the film at the Whiskey a Go-Go in Hollywood and in Ojai at a recording studio.

Blum said that he first entered the Conejo Teen Video Festival when he was 12 years old. This year marks his fourth year entering a film into the festival. Last year, Blum won the Best Videographer award in the 15-years-and-under category.

So far, Blum has focused his creative flair on documentary film- making, but he said he’s also written screenplays, which he expects to develop into films some day.

“I have trouble getting away from documentaries because I have so much fun making them,” said Blum.

“(Winning) was pretty cool because (this) was my fourth year I was committed to the documentary category. (This) was my first year winning,” said Blum. “I’m so used to not hearing my name called, I was surprised. I’ve always been nominated, but this is the first time I won.”

Blum’s next project involves raising money. He hopes to travel with the Operation Footprint medical team to Honduras to document the charitable work of doctors who perform surgery on children with club feet who otherwise couldn’t afford the surgery.

High school and middle school students submitted 42 video entries in this year’s festival. The 20 finalists were chosen by three members of the festival committee, two representatives from the Conejo Recreation and Park District, and one representative from Brooks Institute of Photography, the event sponsor.

Ethan Kuperberg, 16, who will be a junior at Agoura High School, had huge success. His latest triumph, “Anthony in the Key of B,” swept four of nine categories at the Conejo Teen Video Festival awards, including Best Overall Video, Best Technical Achievement (editing, sound design and visual effects), Most Original, and Best Actor for the debut performance of Justin Choh, 16, of Agoura High School.

From Moorpark High School, Kellen Moore, 16, won the Best Screenplay award for her film “Stranded.”

The Best Music Video was awarded to Thomas Reiten, 16, of Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village for his video “Shine Your Light.”

––Stephanie Bertholdo