After watching the first episode, that I describe below, with and without sound, I have realized how non-verbal behaviors cues are powerful. After re-watching the episode with the sound, I realized that although I missed somethings of the complicated plot, I was able to "read" the characters feelings and distress through their non-verbal communication cues. The tone and intonation were missing, but the body and facial expressions were very clear. In doing this I resorted to my previous experiences and schemas, in additional to making inferences based on the visual cues (setting, colors, camera pace, etc.), to make sense of the episode.
I have also chosen a series that I would be unable to lip-read. The series is in Spanish, and although I understand Spanish I cannot read lips, this way relying on my ability to observe and interpret non-verbal cues.
At the beginning of the episode a woman wakes up abruptly, she is startled. She is laying down in her bed while holding pointing a gun at the camera. She seems out of breath and desperate. Then there are some flashbacks of a robbery. She curls up and sobs. Her body language and facial expression convey regret, fear, and anger.
Later I learned that she was in pain, she was suffering because she has lost the love of her life in one of the robberies. She is narrating a day that changed her whole life, what happened to her and how she is now wanted for murder.
In the following scene, I learned that I "read" the cues correctly the male character in the car indeed is trying to help her. However, I did not know he is a professor with an unusual proposal; and the older woman is, in fact, her worried mother.
As the scene continues, she abruptly gets up, gathers some belongings and leaves. She walks fast and looks around with suspicion.
On the next scene, she calls an older woman from a pay phone. As the camera pans through the old woman's house some children pictures are shown. The woman answers the phone with an expression of doubt and fear. When she hears her interlocutor (the younger character), the expression changes to relief and she smiles tenderly. They seem to be mother and daughter. The daughter seems like she is going to cry, and her expression shows nostalgia. They engage in a conversation. The mother asks questions with a concerned look, and the daughter seems to be explaining something. They are apparently happy with the daughter's answer as she smiles smugly and mom shrugs her shoulders and smiles in relief. It is definitely an emotional conversation for both. It gives the impression that they have been apart. Mom asks something else, and the daughter gets angry, and she replies with words through gritted teeth. She closes her eyes and sighs heavily as she realizes something.
The camera pans, and we learn that there is a whole police team at the house with the older woman (mom), who now shows a concerned and fearful look through her tearful eyes.
In the following scene, the young woman is walking, and an old red car, driven by a man follows her. He seems to ask questions, maybe directions, she dismisses him. However, whatever he said caught her interest. She halts, her breathing changes pace, she hesitates. She changes her demeanor into a more seductive posture, walk, and expression, and approaches the car while she establishes eye contact with the man. The man seems very interested and pleased with her reply. When she is close enough, she points a gun towards him, then points it to his crotch. He is obviously nervous and scared, explaining himself. She demonstrates control of the situation and to be fearless. However, he convinces her that he has something of her interest. He slowly and carefully turns his body, keeping eye contact and gets a camera out. She is intrigued and now seems to start listening to him. He shows pictures and hesitantly asks her questions. Their interaction leads me to believe that he wants to help her, but she is not buying it. However, whatever he says convinces her. ...
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