Famous movie directors won’t spend their entire budget filming in East Lansing, but to student filmmakers, pocket change might mean lunch for the entire crew.

Advertising senior Jesse Young knows this better than most.

Young was told by city officials he would have to pay more than $1,000 to close several East Lansing streets to film his movie “Intersection” over three days.

“It is centered around Albert (Avenue) and Abbott (Road), that is why we wanted the street blocked off,” he said.

Despite not being able to pay, Young plans to make his movie.

The cost to close the streets would pay for the overtime hours and work involved.

The city would have to use two public works employees, working 12 hours, to set up and take down the equipment, as well as trucks to transport the blockades, said Angela Mabin, public service administrator.

Police also would have to re-direct traffic for the duration of the filming, costing more money.

Without the city’s help, Young said he is going to have to work harder to make the movie work.

“Hopefully people won’t get in the way,”he said. “I am going to get in touch with the police.”

The film does involve scenes with violence and the use of a fake gun - issues city officials are concerned about.

Several years ago a Lansing Community College student managed to scare people with a kidnapping scene in his movie.

The department eventually discovered the kidnapping was for a movie, East Lansing Police Capt. Juli Liebler said.

Liebler urges students to inform the department if they do plan on filming in the city.

“We certainly don’t want to put anybody in jeopardy because, if we think there is a violent crime, sometimes at a high rate of speed a whole lot of different things could happen,” she said.

But Young plans on taking precautions beyond alerting police.

He also plans on shooting the film on Sunday and Monday nights between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. to help reduce foot traffic.

“On a Sunday or a Monday people won’t be getting as drunk because they might have classes,” he said. “The cars are my biggest concern.”

Spending public funds on the project didn’t seem right, City Manger Ted Staton said.

“We are talking about the benefit of a student to film for an academic exercise and I think the nature of the city is to support the public interest,” he said.

“To his credit, he is trying to find ways to lessen the negative impact on the city.”