Don Peterman Donald William " Don " Peterman , ASC was the cinematographer who earned an Academy Award nomination for his cinematography on . He had previously earned an Academy Award nomination for his work on the popular 1983 musical film " Flashdance " , starring future guest actor Michael Nouri . Peterman began his Hollywood career as a film loader for Hal Roach Studios and later became an animation cameraman and optical printer operator for company . For the 1966 science fiction film " The Bubble " , he worked as camera operator for Charles F . Wheeler , who would become an additional photographer on . " The Bubble " also featured Vic Perrin and Marvin Chomsky as associate producer and art director . Since he started working as a cinematographer in the 1970s , Peterman has compiled 26 feature film credits . Among those credits are number of films from director : " Splash " ( 1984 , featuring Bill Smitrovich and Charles Macauley ) , " Cocoon " ( 1985 , featuring Herta Ware and music by James Horner ) , " Gung Ho " ( 1986 , featuring Patti Yasutake ) , and " How the Grinch Stole Christmas " ( 2000 , with music by James Horner ) . Howard ' s brother , " Star Trek " veteran Clint Howard , had roles in all of these films . Peterman also photographed two films for : " Planes , Trains & Automobiles " ( 1987 , featuring Richard Herd , Michael McKean ) and " She ' s Having a Baby " ( 1988 , featuring Larry Hankin ) . Bill Erwin and William Windom had roles in both of these films ; Kirstie Alley and Wil Wheaton had cameos as themselves in the latter . In the 1990s , Peterman directed photography for director on three films : " Addams Family Values " ( 1993 , starring Christopher Lloyd and Carel Struycken and featuring Ian Abercrombie ) , " Get Shorty " ( 1995 , featuring John Cothran , Jr . ) , and " Men in Black " ( 1997 , featuring Steve Rankin , Carel Struycken , Ken Thorley , and Sean Whalen ) . He also worked on two films for : " Speechless " ( 1994 , featuring Brad Blaisdell , Willie Garson , Richard McGonagle and Richard Poe ) , and " Mighty Joe Young " ( 1998 , featuring Scarlett Pomers , Lawrence Pressman , Richard Riehle , and Tracey Walter , with a screenplay by Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner and music by James Horner ) . While working on " Mighty Joe Young " in July 1997 , Peterman was injured when a camera platform carrying camera operator Ray De La Motte fell on top of him , causing production to be halted for two days . Peterman reportedly suffered a broken arm and hip , together with minor head injuries in the accident , while De La Motte received minor chest and back injuries . The incident effectively ended Peterman ' s career , as he only worked on one further film , the 2000 live - action adaptation of " How the Grinch Stole Christmas " , and found the production such an ordeal that he had to hand over many of his duties to his son Keith Peterman , who had previously been a camera operator on and . Peterman ' s other credits include " When a Stranger Calls " ( 1979 ) , " Young Doctors in Love " ( 1982 , featuring Ed Begley , Jr . , Charlie Brill , Hamilton Camp , Deborah Lacey , Michael McKean , and Saul Rubinek ) , " Kiss Me Goodbye " ( 1982 , featuring Paul Dooley and Michael Ensign ) , " Best Defense " ( 1984 , featuring Paul Comi , Darryl Henriques and Gene Dynarski ) , " She ' s Out of Control " ( 1989 , starring Catherine Hicks , Derek McGrath , and Wallace Shawn ) , " Point Break " ( 1991 , starring Lori Petty and featuring Jack Kehler ) , and ' s " Mr . Saturday Night " ( 1992 , featuring Tim Russ ) . Peterman passed away of complications from a form of leukemia at his home in Palos Verdes Estates on 5 February 2011 . He was 79 years old .