--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The scene was set. All that was required…" description: "\"The scene was set. All that was required was an action, a cold start, instant and brutal as beginnings always are.\" — Paolo Giordano" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/paolo-giordano-4023_action_the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required_1369025.png" --- # The scene was set. All that was required was an action, a… ![“The scene was set. All that was required was an action, a cold start, instant and brutal as beginnings always are.” quote by Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/paolo-giordano-4023_action_the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required_1369025.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/paolo-giordano-4023_action_the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required_1369025.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/paolo-giordano-4023_action_the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required_1369025.png) > “The scene was set. All that was required was an action, a cold start, instant and brutal as beginnings always are.” [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A pivotal moment is described as abrupt, harsh, and decisive, emphasizing the intensity of beginnings. **In simple terms:** Beginnings are abrupt and harsh. Key Takeaway Prepare for sudden change. Themes drama change intensity Mood tense dramatic Type literary motivational When to use this quote - novel writing - personal crises - strategic launches Key Concepts psychology narrative tension Questions to Reflect On - What drives such abrupt actions? - How can we soften harsh starts? A Different Perspective The description may glorify violence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Brutal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) ## Related quotes > [“I had brutal beginnings. I will not let the darkness in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jennings/i-had-brutal-beginnings-i-will-not-let-the-darkness-in/) [Melissa Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jennings/) > [Cold start is a hard start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/cold-start-is-a-hard-start/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [As an actor, you always find your way. You have whatever preparation techniques you use, and you just go with the scene when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-breckenridge/as-an-actor-you-always-find-your-way-you-have-whatever-preparation/) [Alexandra Breckenridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-breckenridge/) > [Some beliefs may be subject to such instant, brutal and unambiguous rejection. For example: no left-coiling periwinkle has ever been found among millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/some-beliefs-may-be-subject-to-such-instant-brutal-and-unambiguous/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [In my experience sometimes the darker the material that you're doing, the more necessary it is to have some sort of levity around. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-stahl/in-my-experience-sometimes-the-darker-the-material-that-you-re-doing/) [Nick Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-stahl/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [When my friends have been heartbroken, I give them a shoulder to cry on and some brutal advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-higgins/when-my-friends-have-been-heartbroken-i-give-them-a-shoulder-to-cry/) [Maura Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maura-higgins/) > [I think brutal honesty is extremely important. Don't be afraid of being up-front about your feelings and your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minka-kelly/i-think-brutal-honesty-is-extremely-important-don-t-be-afraid-of/) [Minka Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minka-kelly/) > [I find that truly heartbreaking that, like, it's such a common, constant thing in people's lives - a brutal abuse of people by other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-duritz/i-find-that-truly-heartbreaking-that-like-it-s-such-a-common-constant/) [Adam Duritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-duritz/) > [No matter how well-born, how intelligent, how highly educated, how virtuous, how rich, how refined, the women of to-day constitutea political class below that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-corinna-putnam-jacobi/no-matter-how-well-born-how-intelligent-how-highly-educated-how/) [Mary Corinna Putnam Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-corinna-putnam-jacobi/) > [We face a brutal enemy who will kill the innocent for one purpose and that is to gain control of the Middle East and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/we-face-a-brutal-enemy-who-will-kill-the-innocent-for-one-purpose-and/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [The Lord expects us to enjoy our lives. He says there will be some brutal times, but we shouldn't get all bent out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-henderson/the-lord-expects-us-to-enjoy-our-lives-he-says-there-will-be-some/) [Paul Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-henderson/) > [Hitler recruited around him homosexuals to make up his Stormtroopers, they were his enforcers, they were his thugs. And Hitler discovered that he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fischer/hitler-recruited-around-him-homosexuals-to-make-up-his-stormtroopers/) [Bryan Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fischer/) > [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More by Paolo Giordano > [“As a little girl she had liked looking at her palms against the light, the red peeking through her closed fingers. Once she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/as-a-little-girl-she-had-liked-looking-at-her-palms-against-the-light/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [All opening moves were the same, like in chess. You don't have to come up with anything new, there's no point, because you're both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/all-opening-moves-were-the-same-like-in-chess-you-don-t-have-to-come/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [“Mathematicians call them twin primes: pairs of prime numbers that are close to each other, almost neighbors, but between them there is always an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/mathematicians-call-them-twin-primes-pairs-of-prime-numbers-that-are/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [Twin primes: pairs of prime numbers that are close to each other, almost neighbors, but between them there is always an even number that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/twin-primes-pairs-of-prime-numbers-that-are-close-to-each-other/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [Even though he was afraid to admit it, when he was with her it seemed it was worth doing all those normal things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/even-though-he-was-afraid-to-admit-it-when-he-was-with-her-it-seemed/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [“Mattia sentiu os cabelos dela a fazerem-lhe cócegas no pescoço. Sentiu o fino intervalo de ar que os separava a encher-se com o seu…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/mattia-sentiu-os-cabelos-dela-a-fazerem-lhe-c-cegas-no-pesco-o-sentiu/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [...finally her hands, so light, holding his head still and catching all his thoughts and imprisoning them there, in the space that no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/finally-her-hands-so-light-holding-his-head-still-and-catching-all/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [With a little effort, she could get up by herself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/with-a-little-effort-she-could-get-up-by-herself/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [“as if moved by a breeze that only she could feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/as-if-moved-by-a-breeze-that-only-she-could-feel/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [She found herself thinking of how it would feel to be safely trapped in his arms, with no more possibility to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/she-found-herself-thinking-of-how-it-would-feel-to-be-safely-trapped/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [Mattia thought that he and Alice were like that, twin primes, alone and lost, close but not close enough to really touch each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/mattia-thought-that-he-and-alice-were-like-that-twin-primes-alone-and/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [She tried to open the bottle, but the top slipped through her fingers without moving. He took the bottle from her hand and opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/she-tried-to-open-the-bottle-but-the-top-slipped-through-her-fingers/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [“He was dressed anonymously and had the posture of someone who doesn't know how to occupy the space of his own body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/he-was-dressed-anonymously-and-had-the-posture-of-someone-who-doesn-t/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [“Als ik er nu aan terugdenk, was dat het meest verbluffende van de laatste dagen die ik met mijn vader doorbracht: ik had altijd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/als-ik-er-nu-aan-terugdenk-was-dat-het-meest-verbluffende-van-de/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [“With photography Alice liked the actions more than the results. She liked opening the back of the camera and unrolling the new film a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/with-photography-alice-liked-the-actions-more-than-the-results-she/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) [Explore all 79 Paolo Giordano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The scene was set. All that was required was an action, a cold start, instant and brutal as beginnings always are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paolo Giordano" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required-was-an-action-a-cold-start/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required-was-an-action-a-cold-start/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/paolo-giordano-4023_action_the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required_1369025.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/paolo-giordano-4023_action_the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required_1369025.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/paolo-giordano-4023_action_the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required_1369025.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The scene was set. All that was required was an action, a cold start, instant and brutal as beginnings…” — Paolo Giordano", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paolo Giordano", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The scene was set. All that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required-was-an-action-a-cold-start/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/the-scene-was-set-all-that-was-required-was-an-action-a-cold-start/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```