Very cool. I loved reading your write-up. It reminded me of something I'd read in a steampunk novel once. I had to Google it to get the details. It's the kinotrope from Gibson & Sterling's Difference Engine.

I found a blog post about it and someone who made one with a servo for each pixel. Now that would be expensive!

https://differencing.blogspot.com/2010/04/kinotrope-clackers...