Braun and his twin brother Dan grew up in New York City in the 1960s and became fans of horror publications like Creepy and Eerie at a young age, on which they would spend their allowances.

[1] The Brauns started the post-punk/no wave band Circus Mort with Rick Oller and Michael Gira, who later went on to form Swans.

After the break-up of Circus Mort, Josh and Dan joined The Del-Byzanteens, a No Wave band featuring filmmaker Jim Jarmusch on vocals and keyboards.

[citation needed] In 1999, they set out to buy the rights to the forgotten titles, which they felt there could market into revived brands that could be adapted into feature films, television, broadband shorts, Broadway shows, and licensed properties.

In 2001 Josh and Dan formed Submarine Entertainment, a company that represents, produces, and develops feature films and documentaries including Winter's Bone (2010 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner), Man on Wire (2009 Academy Award winner, Best Documentary), The Cove (2010 Academy Award winner, Best Documentary), Werner Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams and Encounters at the End of the World, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, Winnebago Man, Spellbound, Supersize Me, and Food, Inc..