Etienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904) physiologist, doctor, biomechanics engineer and inventor of chronophotography. His work was a precursor to cinema in that it attempted to capture movement and motion. Marey invented a photographic gun in 1882, it could take 12 consecutive frames a second, which he used to study locomotion.
Etienne-Jules Marey photographed in his studio.
Here we see a few of Marey's experiments in capturing insect movement.
Other motion study/science films. Various dates.