FOTM (Film of The Month)

Terms and Conditions & Submission Guidelines

FOTM (Film of the Month) is a program by Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd), designed to celebrate emerging talent, showcase the diversity of film photography, and foster a vibrant analog photography culture.

By submitting your photographs to Zontiga FOTM for potential features on Instagram, and in online or offline FOTM-related publications, you acknowledge and agree to the following Conditions of Participation. These conditions form a binding agreement between you and Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd), based in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

1. Eligibility

  • The FOTM program is open to both amateur and professional photographers, including photo-based artists of any nationality.
  • Submitted photographs must be original works captured by the participant (the Photographer).
  • Any submission found to be plagiarized will be disqualified from the selection process.
  • Applicants under the age of 16 must include a signed consent form from a parent or legal guardian.

2. Submissions

  • All entries must be submitted digitally via the FOTM Submission Form. For assistance with submission, contact: info@zontiga.com
  • A Google Account may be required to complete the form.
  • The provided email address will serve as the primary mode of communication.
  • Photographers may only submit their own work; submissions on behalf of others are not permitted.

3. Image Preparation

Please prepare your files according to the following specifications:

  • Format: JPG / JPEG
  • Image Quality: 8–10 (high quality)
  • Colour Space: sRGB
  • Dimensions: At least 3000 pixels on the longest side
  • DPI: 240–300 DPI (preferred)


File Naming (Photographs)

Format: firstname.lastname01.jpg

Example (3 photos by Lee Chee Ming):

  • lee.cheeming.01.jpg
  • lee.cheeming.02.jpg
  • lee.cheeming.03.jpg


File Naming (Text Files for Captions/Descriptions)

Format: firstname.lastname01.doc

Example:

  • lee.cheeming.01.doc
  • lee.cheeming.02.doc
  • lee.cheeming.03.doc

4. Submission Deadline

All entries must be submitted by the last day of each month, 11:59 PM (Malaysia Time).

5. Submission Fee

There is no fee for submitting entries.

6. Photo Guidelines

  • You may submit up to 5 photographs per month.
  • Each submission is encouraged to include a short description or caption for context.
  • Submitted photos must be shot on analog film and free from any AI post-processing.
  • Minimum size requirement: 3000 pixels on the longest side.
  • Do not include watermarks, borders, or signatures on the images.
  • Images that do not meet these conditions will not be considered.

7. Publication & Use of Submitted Photographs

If selected, you grant Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd) and its designated curators/editors the right to:

  • Display and promote your photos in print, digital, and online media related to FOTM.
  • Feature your work across Zontiga and FOTM’s social media, websites, newsletters, and promotional materials.
  • Use your name or, upon request, a pseudonym (artist name) for proper credit.
  • Present your work alone or in curated combinations with other photographs.
Please note:

  • Publication is not guaranteed.
  • You waive any claim to compensation for such uses.

8. Responsibility and Rights

If selected, you grant Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd) and its designated curators/editors the right to:

  • You retain full copyright of your work.
  • You are fully responsible for ensuring you hold the rights to the submitted images.
  • If third-party rights are involved (e.g., commissioned works), you must have obtained necessary permissions.
  • You confirm that model releases have been acquired where applicable, especially for images featuring identifiable individuals.

9. Content Restrictions

  • Submissions deemed exploitative, obscene, pornographic, or in violation of international law will be disqualified.
  • For images featuring children/minors, written consent from the child and legal guardian should be obtained whenever possible.

10. Usage Rights

By submitting, you agree that:

  • Your work may be published in FOTM-related zines, books, and promotional materials.
  • Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd) may use your images for sales, marketing, educational, and publicity purposes across all media (including catalogues, posters, postcards, websites, and TV) for up to 3 years from the date of submission.
  • All such usage will be crediting the photographer (or agency) accordingly.
  • No monetary compensation will be provided for these uses.

11. Copyright

  • Copyright remains with the individual photographer.
  • Zontiga (The Next Level Sdn Bhd) does not claim ownership of submitted work.