original_query: What are some concepts and devices that are considered precursors of film?
query: What are some concepts and devices that are considered precursors of film?
answer: Precursors to film include philosophical toys, optical toys, the camera obscura, the magic lantern,  the thaumatrope, the phenakistiscope, the zoetrope, the flip book, and the praxinoscope, as well as various forms of shadow play and theatre.