How to take focus off actor's eyes

I was asked to edit a employee trainee video, and was given the video footage. The problem is, they used cue cards, and it's obvious that they are reading to the side. What can I do to take the focus of the video off the actor's eyes? Any suggestions would be great!
 
Oh man I feel for you...


so what you are saying is that the actors are not looking where they should and reading off a card off to the side...


sounds like you need actors that can learn lines or do a reshoot.. harsh and a pain but true
 
if there is another part of the frame you'd like to accentuate, you can make a mask that brightens the part of the image you want to emphasize and diminishes the contrast of the part you don't. They did alot of this in The Brothers Grimm. I also saw a bunch of it in the BTS from the Panic Room uber special edition. Just a separate layer composited over the image with an opacity. Put a white shape on a black background with a fuzzy edge.
 
John Jordan said:
Oh man I feel for you...


so what you are saying is that the actors are not looking where they should and reading off a card off to the side...


sounds like you need actors that can learn lines or do a reshoot.. harsh and a pain but true

If I had directed/shot it I would have never accepted how it was done, but I was just handed footage to edit. :/

if there is another part of the frame you'd like to accentuate, you can make a mask that brightens the part of the image you want to emphasize and diminishes the contrast of the part you don't. They did alot of this in The Brothers Grimm. I also saw a bunch of it in the BTS from the Panic Room uber special edition. Just a separate layer composited over the image with an opacity. Put a white shape on a black background with a fuzzy edge.
Thanks so much, I will definitly be trying this method and same with cut-aways indietalk- thanks for everyones input! I try to keep updated.
 
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