Meet Pascal Okoh, Jr., a.k.a. @directedbyjunior.
Credit: @CameraBoyRoy
If you’ve scrolled Broward County Instagram or TikTok in the past year, chances are you’ve landed on a fast-cut, nostalgia-fueled reel from @directedbyjunior.
Behind the handle is Pascal Okoh, Jr.
He was born in Nigeria in 2001 and raised across Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Oakland Park and now Sunrise. His immigrant story is as layered as the community he documents.
“My father did a lottery visa,” he tells Browardist. “He miraculously won and brought my mother and the whole family to America.” The family landed in Lauderhill, which he described his surroundings plainly: “It was the hood.” As a Nigerian kid trying to find his footing, he often felt like “a fish out of water,” navigating Broward with the help of his late childhood friend Chris, whom he still honors in conversation.
Film became his anchor early on. “I grew up glued to the TV. I adored Disney, mainly Pixar — Toy Story, Finding Nemo, A Bug’s Life.” That spark followed him to Oakland Park, where he began experimenting with filmmaking before enrolling at Broward College and later graduating from Florida Atlantic University.
Though he initially took medical classes to appease traditional Nigerian expectations, he was secretly diving into film theory and editing. The turning point came when his mom walked into his room while he was editing on what he calls “a very slow iMac.”
“She said, ‘I don’t understand this route, but I pray to God and He gave me a sign that you can be successful in this field.’” He posted that project. It went viral on Instagram the same afternoon.
Since December 2024, Junior has posted every single day. “I haven’t missed a beat,” he said. That consistency helped him carve out a niche in bold, hyper-local South Florida storytelling — from spotlighting mom-and-pop Trinidad fried chicken joints to unpacking darker, lesser-known chapters of Broward Sheriff’s Office history.
“How would I describe my style?” he said. “Nostalgia and rebellion. People love nostalgic things. They love South Florida culture. Bring those two together... that’s what built my audience.”
In October 2025, his account was banned over a rights dispute involving a reposted video. “My hard work was like... snap... into thin air.” After weeks of back-and-forth, Instagram reinstated his account on January 1, 2026. “Almost cinematic,” he laughed.
Today, while working full time at a country club and planning shoots from his Sunrise home base, Junior films three to four videos in a day to stay ahead. His long-term vision? Launching a production company to amplify other South Florida creatives.
“I want to help talented people showcase their work,” he said. “This is a hub of talent.”
On Sundays, you’ll find him at church, at the movies at Paragon in Davie or simply with family and his girlfriend. Because beyond the edits and algorithms, @directedbyjunior is totally building something deeper: a living archive of Broward County, told by someone who truly grew up in it and has quite a story himself.
For more on @directedbyjunior and his latest projects, visit instagram.com/directedbyjunior.
