person editor ◆ established
Verna Fields
also: Mother Cutter
- nationality
- American
- lived
- 1918–1982
erna Fields was an American film editor and sound editor whose work bridged classical craft and the emerging energy of New Hollywood. She is best known for editing Jaws, where her control of suspense, omission, and attack timing became central to the film’s effect. Fields also became an influential mentor and postproduction executive.
bio
Verna Fields (1918–1982) was an American editor and sound specialist whose career included both sound editing and picture editing. She won the Academy Award for Jaws and was nicknamed “Mother Cutter” for her mentorship and authority in the editing room. Her career also included American Graffiti and executive work that shaped postproduction culture in the 1970s.
notes
Important editor to connect suspense editing, sound-image coordination, and New Hollywood craft culture.
filmography
- Targets (1968)
- American Graffiti (1973)
- Jaws (1975)
- 1941 (1979)
awards
- Academy Award for Best Film Editing — Jaws (1975)
aesthetic tags
neighborhood · 4