A thunderous eruption of applause, mimicking an impassioned drum beat and in sync like a studio ensemble, filled the AMC Century City Thursday when Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, the stars of “Whiplash” (2014), entered the theater for a Q&A immediately following the film’s screening. 

To commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Damien Chazelle’s feature film, The Los Angeles Times hosted a birthday celebration of sorts for “Whiplash” as a part of its Indie Focus screening series. The film is a landmark for introducing Hollywood’s it boy last summer, a widely acclaimed filmmaker and the mastery of craft from a veteran actor. 

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Matt Brennan, the L.A. Times deputy editor for entertainment & arts, guided a conversation on memories of the 19-day shoot, an unexpectedly starry awards season for the indie film in 2014 and the film’s legacy and impact in the industry.

“Whiplash” introduced audiences and industry executives to Miles Teller’s commandeering of the screen, making Andrew Neiman, the 19-year-old jazz drummer, a character pivotal to the foundation of his long-standing career. Crediting the film as a “mantelpiece project,” Teller reflected on a particular realization of the film’s magnitude, which was the best script he’d ever read.

“I remember going to [the Toronto International Film Festival] with the film. [Executive producer] Jason Reitman is there, and we are at some afterparty,” Teller said. “I remember Jason Reitman telling me, ‘Take this in, kid, because it’s not going to be like this all the time.’ … He was right. There’s ebbs and flows, but this is such a special film. It holds up, obviously — it’s 10-something years later and we got a full theater to see it.”

Largely thanks to the forceful and, at times, disquieting portrayal of maestro Terence Fletcher by J.K. Simmons, the success of Sony Pictures’ little indie film increasingly expanded its voice and reach. Simmons acknowledged his initial hesitance to participate in the never-ending awards season race before the rush of accolades came flowing in.

“Ultimately, smarter heads prevailed and said, ‘No, you need to do that’ and publicity stuff, it helps the movie. By the time we got to the Oscars, which is the very end of that rainbow, everything had been just tumbling my way,” Simmons said. “It was like every week someone was handing me a trophy somewhere. When they said my name at the Oscars, it was like a little sigh of relief.” 

During the Q&A, Brennan delved into the complexities of the film in its examination of perfection and precision, asking both Teller and Simmons what is beneficial to them as artists in terms of praise. 

Fletcher’s quote in the film, “There are no two words more harmful in the dictionary than ‘good job’” reveals itself to be highly relevant in the careers of both stars, who refused conformity, embraced challenge and welcomed multiple takes.

“I really appreciate working now with directors who can make it difficult, make you take you out of your comfort zone, demand more of you than sometimes you are comfortable giving,” Simmons said.

The two actors detailed their personal relationship to music as a critical component of their interest in joining the team, with instruments and compositions used as a leading character to demonstrate Fletcher’s abuse of Neiman’s vulnerabilities, placing him in a constant mental (and eventually physical) state of whiplash.

“My mom was very instrumental … [As a child], I only got a drum kit because I wanted to play in a band,” Teller said. “When I got the script, I only had about two and a half weeks to learn how to hold the sticks traditionally because I never held the sticks like that, I always did match grip, and to just try and learn enough of the bars of music, but luckily I was able to. It’s either me playing live or I’m close enough to match.”

Both actors shared their perspectives on forming a reputation within their “pick me” industry and how they want to be remembered, such as the 19-year-old conservatory student in the film who was adamant about being one of the musical greats. 

“I just want to contribute to where if I walk in a room with actors [and directors] I respect, I want to be able to look them in the eye. I don’t have to kind of look down to the choices I’ve made,” Teller said. “I admire actors so much; I really just want to hopefully have a couple of projects, performances and films that stand the test of time.” 

When asked about a second “Whiplash,”  without hesitation, the bona fide stars proclaimed their allegiance to Damien Chazelle. 

“If he calls me about a project, I’m in,” Teller said. “I would also say, ‘Well what’s the premise here?’ because Andrew since the first one has been hitting the gym. I don’t know if that relationship dynamic is going to work the same way.”

The 10-year journey of “Whiplash,” from its production process, humble box office numbers, celebratory awards season and continued relevance throughout the past decade, indicates that the tempo is just right, bringing new life into the film that changed Simmons, and most especially Teller’s, careers.

“Nobody saw the movie when it came out,” Teller said. “We made zero dollars, so this [screening] is impressive. This would have made a great opening weekend.”