Make the guillotine-type slide from construction paper. It works. Consider that some large shutters use coated paper blades. Also place the slide on its side so the shutter passes horizontally and use it as a push-pull device. That simplifies construction, too.
Jac, how would it work with a cable release horizontally? I need to be able to open and close the shutter from distance and with little movement as I want to try some self portraits.


Search also for guerry shutter. I have a pneumatic simplification of one right here on the bench. It's like overlapping barn doors.
This looks like it has potential, even the Norka style barn doors version could work too. I'll take another look into it.