Chazelle later wrote '' Whiplash '' , which was an easier concept to sell and a less risky investment . After '' Whiplash '' was well received by critics upon its premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in January , Chazelle continued his efforts to bring '' La La Land '' to the big screen . A year later , when '' Whiplash '' earned five Oscar nominations at the 87th Academy Awards , including Best Picture , and grossed nearly $ 50 million worldwide off a $ 3.3 million production budget , Chazelle and his project began to attract attention from studios
2014 Sundance Film Festival
2014 Sundance Film Festival
La La Land (film)