RULES | FAQs | PHOTO REQUIRMENTS | VIDEO TIPS


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Why do I have to be 21 to enter this competition, and not 18?
It's a long story we won't bore you with, but them's the rules.

2. I live in Canada. Can I enter?
You can now (unless you're unfortunate enough to live in Quebec). Improved relations between our two great nations have opened the Great White North to Hottie mining. Residents of any other country, however, are still not eligible. (Sorry, Hungary Hotties!)

3. When is the entry deadline?
We will be taking submissions until April 21, 2008, 5:00 PM East Coast time.

4. Should I get a professional photographer to take my photos?
Sure. Just know that entrants must either own the copyright to the photos or have the copyright owner (i.e., a professional photographer) complete a Copyright Release. We'll tell you how to get one if you’re selected. Also, hope the copyright owner likes not getting paid, because there’s no money or any sort of recognition if a photo is used. Entrants who move on to the Semifinal round will also be required to send in a video, so the same applies to professional videographers.

5. But the photographer gave me copies of the pictures. Doesn’t that mean I have the copyright?
Nope. If you paid a professional to photograph you, they may still retain copyright over the image unless you negotiated full rights in your contract with the shooter. If you haven’t, you will be required to get his or her signature on the Copyright Release we will provide if you're chosen for the competition.

6. What's a JPEG?
You're so cute. It's a digital image file type. If you are uncertain about how to format digital images, please check out our Photo Requirements before you start uploading your photos.

7. Can I enter photos taken from my Web camera?
We encourage you to submit photos that fulfill our photo size requirements (JPEG format, at least 500KB file size). We've rejected entries that didn't meet these standards in the past, and we're not afraid to do it again. Image quality is a primary factor in selection, and Web cams that sit atop your computer aren't the same as photo cameras capable of taking far better images.

8. My picture isn't big enough to meet your requirements. Is there a way to make it bigger?
Nah. If your picture isn't big enough, re-sizing low-quality slop into larger low-quality slop won't improve things. We suggest rescanning the image at higher resolution (assuming you scanned a print photo) or using another picture.

9. How do I know which images I uploaded?
Our entry process will display the names of the images you've uploaded, so check the names of the photos uploaded against the images of the same name on your computer. If you uploaded one that you didn't intend to include, you will be allowed to change the images you uploaded when you review your profile.

10. How will I know if I have been chosen for the competition?
Our contest coordinator will contact you via e-mail if you’ve been selected. The initial voting period starts February 25, 2008, and ends May 2, 2008. If you are not contacted by April 28, 2008, you have not been chosen for this year’s competition. Please be sure to check your Spam or Junk e-mail folders for messages from Maxim's Hometown Hotties competition—we’d hate to lose a potential Hottie to a pile of 70%-off mortgage boner e-mails.

11. Can you tell me when my photos will be posted?
Entrants selected for the first round of voting will be notified by e-mail when they have been placed in a given week's voting period.

12. I have appeared in a men's magazine in the past, but wasn't photographed nude. Can I still be a Hottie?
Let’s get this out of the way first: Women who have appeared nude are subject to the discretion of the competition supervisors, who will determine whether a minor appearance in another publication disqualifies you.  However being featured in another men's publication (nude or not) will most certainly disqualify a potential entrant.

13. I'm not sure how my boss will respond to my appearance in this competition. What should I do?
When you enter, you may want to list your profession generally. Instead of "U.S. attorney, Southern District," you may want to list your profession as "lawyer," for example.

14. Can I change my profile later?
Yes, ma’am. Once you activate your profile through a confirmation e-mail we’ll send, you’ll be able to log in and upload more photos, videos and make changes to your profile. Log in all you want—we want to know the real you!

15. I want to enter my sister/girlfriend/neighbor/P.E. teacher/etc. as a surprise—is it OK if I submit her photos?
Nope. We'll be confirming entrant identifications by requesting copies of driver's licenses or other government-issued ID. We'll also be calling each entrant selected for inclusion in the competition, and if we find that she did not submit her own entry, she may be disqualified.

16. May I enter more than once?
Duplicate entries will not be considered for the competition; however, our competition coordinator may ask an entrant to resubmit her entry if, for whatever reason, the entry is incomplete.

17. I was a finalist in a previous Hometown Hotties competition—may I enter the 2008 competition?
Finalists from previous years of the competition are ineligible for our 2008 contest, but Semifinalists who did not make it into the top 10 in either of those years, however, may enter.

18. Where do I send my video?
If it’s in digital form, you can upload it to your profile after entering. Send all tapes, discs, or antiquated movie projector reels to:
 

PHOTO REQUIREMENTS

•  You must provide 3 photos to be entered in the contest.
•  The photos must have been taken within the past 6 months.
•  Images must be submitted in JPEG format, no smaller than 500 KB, 400 x 500 pixels, in file size. See a sample image here.
•  If you're scanning your photos, make sure they are no less than 72 dpi (dots per inch).
•  If you don't know how to get your photos ready for submission, try visiting a FedEx Kinko’s or another local establishment with digital scanning services.
•  Hold on to the prints or high-resolution versions of your photos because we'll require them if you're chosen as one of the top-100 semifinalists.
•  Any images that include nudity will be discarded.
•  The entrant must own the copyright to the photos or the entrant will be required to have the copyright owner complete a Copyright Release. We will tell you how to get a Copyright Release if and when you’re contacted for the contest. Also, the copyright owner will not receive payment from Maxim, and we will not provide any sort of byline or photographer recognition.


RULES | FAQs | PHOTO REQUIRMENTS | VIDEO TIPS

VIDEO TIPS

Format:
•  Tapes must be delivered in one of the following formats: Mini DV, HDV, VHS, BETACAM or DVCAM.


Setup:
•  Videos should be shot in the best possible light with a simple light source (natural is best).
•  When setting your focus, make sure the auto focus is turned off and use a tripod or have a friend shoot you.
•  Turn off any background noises such as TV, radios, phones…or dogs.
•  Change up the locations and use your available environments.


Legal:
The entrant must own the copyright to the video or the entrant will be required to have the copyright owner (that is, if the video was shot by a professional videographer, for example) complete a Copyright Release. We will tell you how to get a Copyright Release if and when you're contacted for the contest. Also, the copyright owner will not receive payment from Maxim, and we will not provide any sort of byline or videographer recognition.

The footage must have been taken within the past 6 months.

Videos containing nudity will be discarded.


Footage:
Send us raw footage or a rough edit of the material you shoot. If you do edit the material into a segment, do not include music or graphics on your video images. Make sure not to edit out the fun stuff—we want to see bloopers, outtakes and anything randomly funny that may happen during your shoot.

We also want to see your hidden talents. But please be safe and do not attempt anything that may cause you harm.

This is your chance to show America what you've got! Good luck out there.

RULES | FAQs | PHOTO REQUIRMENTS | VIDEO TIPS