Anyone know how you would edit a phone's date & time without doing it frame by frame?

[slu1221]

I have several clips that show someone going through a phone, swiping, texting, etc. There was no green screen; the shot was generated using the actual phone content and text messages. Is there any way to edit the date and time that appears on the phone screen (spec. on the home screen before you unlock the phone since it displays larger). Without it having been produced with a greenscreen, I can't wrap my head around the editing process (other than editing it frame by frame). 

[Rick Gerard]

The most efficient technique depends entirely on the shot. You can motion track or motion stabilize the phone then just overlay another layer with the right time on it. 

Show me a typical clip or even a screenshot + a description of the motion in the shot and I can make some suggestions. Editing a frame at a time is not going to work unless you are a master of animation. 

[slu1221]

I considered that but I wasnt sure how I would work around the time that the hand goes over the area on the phone that has the time displayed. I would know how to edit that with keying out green screen, but I wasn't sure how to do it without that... besides creating a matte and adjusting it frame by frame in those moments.

[Rick Gerard]

It's called Rotoscope. Usually, the most efficient technique is to add a colored solid on top of the replacement layer, set the blend mode to overlay or screen, adjust the color so you can clearly see the edges you need to mask out, then animate a mask on the solid.  The solid with the animated mask is then set as a track matte for the offending part of the image (the finger). You only have to have the mask cover the part of the replacement layer, your new time, that is covered by the finger. I'm guessing about 4 to six verities. 

Show me a sample shot and I'll show you exactly how I would handle it.