Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Knitter.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I didn’t come up through the “perfect path” — I came up by doing the work. I started gripping in my twenties, learned every department hands-on, and spent years solving problems on sets long before I ever put “producer” in my title. Eventually it made more sense to build my own shop than wait for someone else to decide what I was capable of.
Method Media really started as a mindset before it was a company: show up prepared, work harder than everyone else, and take ownership of the results. We never wanted to be another production company — we wanted to be the team that could walk onto any set, anywhere, and elevate it. That’s why we built the arm-car team, why we take on challenging features, and why we stay mobile between Kansas City, LA, and New York. We like solving hard problems and moving cameras in ways that matter.
Where we are today is because of consistency — doing it right, treating people right, and not cutting corners. We’ve built trust film by film, crew by crew. We don’t need to talk big; we’d rather show up and execute. That’s how we got here.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth? No. Worth it? Absolutely.
There’s this myth that if you work hard and care about what you do, the industry will just open doors for you. It doesn’t. You have to push them open, and sometimes you have to build the door yourself.
We’ve dealt with everything — projects falling apart, people over-promising and disappearing, budgets changing mid-stream, politics on set, and productions that didn’t communicate or prepare the way they should. We’ve had to chase payments, protect our crew, and stand our ground when things weren’t handled professionally. That stuff isn’t glamorous, but it’s part of building something real.
The biggest challenge has been learning how to stay steady in chaos. In production, you can’t control everyone else — you can only control how prepared you are and how you react when things get messy. What’s kept us moving is simple: don’t panic, don’t cut corners, don’t fold when someone tries to push you around. Document everything, communicate clearly, and stay focused on doing the work right.
And honestly, the tough situations made us better. They sharpened our process, strengthened our voice, and made us the team people call when they need calm execution under pressure. Smooth roads don’t build skill — adversity does.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Method Media has earned its place by delivering work that performs — creatively and financially. We’ve secured local and state film incentives, tax credits, and rebates through both Kansas City and Missouri, and we operate in multiple markets including Kansas City, Los Angeles, and New York. That matters because it means we don’t just shoot great footage — we structure productions to qualify, execute, and finish the right way. We specialize in precision camera movement, arm-car operations, and production services with a focus on efficiency, safety, and real-world problem-solving. What sets us apart isn’t the gear — it’s the preparation, the discipline, and a crew that shows up ready to work at a high level anywhere we go. We don’t chase shortcuts — we earn trust, and that’s why productions and incentive offices sign off on us. Recognition is great, but being invited back — and being relied on when things matter — is the real benchmark.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Mentors are great, but I don’t think you can wait around hoping someone will choose you and hand you a career. My experience has been: show up, do the work, be someone people want to teach, and the right people naturally gravitate toward you. Most of my “mentors” didn’t start as formal mentors — they were just people I worked beside, learned from, and earned respect with over time.
Networking is similar. I’ve never been big on forced networking or pretending to connect with everyone in the room. What’s worked for me is simple: show up consistently, solve problems, be dependable, and treat people well. When you do that, word gets around. The film world is small — reputation moves fast in both directions.
The people who opened doors for me did it because they saw the work ethic, not because I asked for favors. So my advice is: don’t chase mentors, chase mastery. Be curious, be humble enough to learn, confident enough to take initiative, and steady enough to stay in the game when it gets tough. When you operate like that, the right people find you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Methodkc.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/methodkc
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/methodkc
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/methodkc
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/@methodmedia
