Historiographic works on the history of cinema play an important role in preserving knowledge about the development of this art form. They not only document the key stages of the evolution of cinema, but also provide an opportunity to analyze it as a cultural phenomenon that is closely intertwined with the history of mankind. Historiographic works on the history of cinema cover the study of the development of cinema as an art, a means of communication and an industry. They reflect various aspects of its formation: socio-cultural influences, technological breakthroughs, genre transformations and the role of cinema in a historical context. However, a thorough analysis of historiographic sources on the study of the history of the evolution of cinema in the context of considering the stages of the development of science and technology has not been carried out before. The aim of the study is to investigate the state, completeness and reliability of the study of the history of the development of cinema in the context of considering the stages of the development of science and technology, based on the analysis of historiographic sources, the achievements of predecessors, and modern methodology. The objective of this article is to analyze historiographical sources that consider the magic lantern, the camera obscura, and the shadow play as key precursors to cinema. The magic lantern, the camera obscura, and the shadow play were key milestones in the development of cinema, as they developed techniques for manipulating light and shadow, creating the illusion of movement, and projecting images. They became important precursors to cinema, providing the conceptual and technical foundations that allowed cinematic technologies as we know them today to emerge. All three devices actively used the manipulation of light and shadow to create visual effects that became the basis for cinema. Each of these devices allowed for technical innovations in the use of lighting, projections, and images that were later adapted in cinematic technologies such as projectors and motion pictures. All of these technologies helped popularize the idea of using optical effects and media for a mass audience, which was important for the emergence of cinema as an industry. Historiographical works devoted to the magic lantern, the camera obscura, and the shadow play focus on the study of these inventions as important precursors to cinema. They laid the foundations of visual art that uses the play of light and shadow, and influenced the development of technologies for creating the illusion of movement.
