Katy Wallin is both the CEO and President of MysticArt Pictures, a company that was founded in 1989.  Wallin currently serves as the Vice-President of the Casting Society of America, and is actively working to promote the important and vital role that a casting director has in the Motion Picture and Television industry.  Wallin has successfully cast over 500 hours of television programming and over 70 feature films and telefilms.  Wallin has become well known for bringing unique and diversified talent together to create innovative and artistic projects for independent and studio films, network and cable television, and network reality based shows. 

Wallin has received national recognition as a dynamic casting director who goes to great lengths to cast talent that is most appropriate for the role.  She has been featured on Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, E! Entertainment, Extra, MTV, Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine and featured in several other national television shows and publications.

Wallin’s staff is comprised of a diverse group of talented individuals, all who have a passion for the artistic process of casting.  Over the years, they have created a niche for independent films, many of which have been screened at the world’s most prestigious film festivals.  Wallin has had great success in attaching talent to projects.  "Finding excellent material is vital; it is the foundation which attracts talent.  Nothing is more fulfilling than when a team of people come together to create a project they are truly passionate about," states Wallin.

Feature Films

Wallin has always had a passion for working on projects that promote positive family values and believes it is important to cherish classic, literary achievements through the film medium.  She recently cast and produced the time honored classic, Where the Red Fern Grows.  Where the Red Fern Grows is the "Fifth Best Selling Paperback Children’s Book of All Time" and continues to be required reading in schools across our nation.  The film stars Dave Matthews, Dabney Coleman, Ned Beatty, Kris Kristofferson, Mac Davis, Joseph Ashton and Renee Faia.  "Where the Red Fern Grows" marked Dave Matthew’s debut film performance.  Where the Red Fern Grows will be released in 2004.

Wallin is very proud of her recent award winning independent film, Finders Fee.   She had the opportunity to both cast and produce this wonderfully suspenseful ensemble piece set in New York City.  The film stars legendary actor James Earl Jones, Oscar nominated actor Robert Forster, Erik Palladino, Matthew Lillard, Ryan Reynolds, Dash Mihok and Carly Pope.  For this project, Wallin partnered with writer/director Jeff Probst, host of the highly successful series "Survivor."   Finder’s Fee captured the Best Film Award at the Seattle International Film Festival and "Best Screenplay" at the Method Fest Film Festival. Finder’s Fee was acquired by Lions Gate Entertainment, and was released in October of 2003.

In continuing her mission, Wallin cast the animated feature Trumpet of the Swan for Columbia Tri-Star, a film based on the classic children’s story written by E.B. White.   Trumpet of the Swan stars Jason Alexander, Mary Steenburgen, Reese Witherspoon, Joe Mantegna, and Seth Green. Trumpet of the Swan was released theatrically in Spring 2001 and garnered Wallin an Artios nomination for her outstanding achievement in casting.

Wallin conducted a four-month search for the female lead in the independent feature film, Knockout.  The film is a stylized docudrama about the rise of a female Latina fighter. Wallin was nominated for an Artios Award for her Achievement in Casting and was recognized by critics for her outstanding ability to assemble a cast of talented Latino actors. This project was appealing to Wallin because of the strong female lead, which was played by Sophia Adella Hernandez. 

Wallin recently completed casting National Lampoon’s Trouble with frank.  This film stars Jon Bon Jovi and was directed by legendary director, Arthur Hiller.   Wallin’s other credits include the Native American film Christmas in the Clouds, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and Poor White Trash. "Poor White Trash" starred Sean Young, Jason London, Jaime Pressly, M. Emmet Walsh, and William Devane.  This film had its premiere at the 2000 HBO/Aspen Comedy Film Festival.  Poor White Trash reviews state that it had the "best cast of any film at the festival!"  Another indie that Wallin cast is the offbeat hit comedy Orgazmo that was written and directed by Trey Parker (the co-creator of Comedy Central’s South Park.)    Orgazmo was screened at the Sundance Film Festival.

Television

Over the years, Wallin has had much success in casting some of America’s most popular television shows. She has cast thousands of actors in over 500 hours of television programming for such networks as CBS, Fox, NBC, Fox Family, HBO, WB, E! Entertainment and UPN.   Wallin has a reputation for going to great lengths to find fresh, unique, and talented actors and actresses.  Several networks have sent her across the United States to conduct national searches for undiscovered talent.  Many of the numerous actors that she has discovered for her projects have moved on to highly successful film and television careers. 

E! Entertainment television sought Wallin to launch their fictional programming division by casting their first five independent telefilms including Best Actress, Spinning Out of Control, Murder at the Cannes Film Festival, and Becoming Dick. Wallin also cast and executive produced the film Romantic Comedy 101 which aired on the popular network. In addition, she helped E! Entertainment launch twenty-six episodes of their television series, Hollywood Off ramp.

Reality Television

With the growing popularity of reality television some of Hollywood’s most prominent film directors have hired Wallin to search for talent for their shows. Wallin has had the opportunity to work with acclaimed directors David Zucker and Richard Donner as well as several prominent reality television producers. Wallin has been hired by all of the major networks to search for real people, with real stories. Reality television has become one of the fastest growing genres in television today.  Wallin has enjoyed discovering dynamic individuals who have used reality television as a platform to launch their careers in the entertainment industry.  Wallin is currently working with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne on a reality television show currently titled OZZfest Band Camp, and has cast such projects as Mr. Personality, Who Wants To Marry My Dad, Paradise Hotel, Forever Eden, The Complex, Love Spell, and Family Forensics.

Wallin is known for being a true advocate of actors and has always provided a nurturing environment in which people feel safe and comfortable.  Wallin has created a studio space in which she encourages people to strive to realize their dreams and she strives to nurture individual’s artistic talent. 

In addition to being the Vice-President of CSA, Wallin is an active member of organizations such as the Independent Feature Project West and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and co-founder of the Women’s Image Network; a non-profit organization which offers development money to those who create projects for film and television which depict women in a more positive light.