diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
index d90bac7..a7f6dd3 100644
--- a/.env.template
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@ REDDIT_CLIENT_ID=""
 REDDIT_CLIENT_SECRET=""
 REDDIT_USERNAME=""
 REDDIT_PASSWORD=""
-
-# Valid options are "yes" and "no" for the variable below
+# Valid options are "yes" and "no" 
 REDDIT_2FA=""
 
+# Valid options are "light" and "dark"
 THEME=""
 
+# Enter a subreddit, e.g. "AskReddit"
 SUBREDDIT=""
 
 # Range is 0 -> 1
-OPACITY=".9"
+OPACITY=""
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index b0a4c28..fc12206 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 from utils.console import print_markdown
-import time
-
 from reddit.subreddit import get_subreddit_threads
 from video_creation.background import download_background, chop_background_video
 from video_creation.voices import save_text_to_mp3
 from video_creation.screenshot_downloader import download_screenshots_of_reddit_posts
 from video_creation.final_video import make_final_video
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
-import os
+import os, time, shutil
+
+REQUIRED_VALUES = ["REDDIT_CLIENT_ID","REDDIT_CLIENT_SECRET","REDDIT_USERNAME","REDDIT_PASSWORD"]
 
 REQUIRED_VALUES = ["REDDIT_CLIENT_ID","REDDIT_CLIENT_SECRET","REDDIT_USERNAME","REDDIT_PASSWORD", "OPACITY"]
 
@@ -17,12 +17,23 @@ print_markdown(
 
 time.sleep(3)
 
+load_dotenv()
+
+configured = True
 
-reddit_object = get_subreddit_threads()
+if not os.path.exists(".env"):
+    shutil.copy(".env.template", ".env")
+    configured = False
 
-load_dotenv()
-length, number_of_comments = save_text_to_mp3(reddit_object)
-download_screenshots_of_reddit_posts(reddit_object, number_of_comments, os.getenv("THEME"))
-download_background()
-chop_background_video(length)
-final_video = make_final_video(number_of_comments)
+for val in REQUIRED_VALUES:
+    if val not in os.environ or not os.getenv(val):
+        print(f"Please set the variable \"{val}\" in your .env file.")
+        configured = False
+
+if configured:
+    reddit_object = get_subreddit_threads()
+    length, number_of_comments = save_text_to_mp3(reddit_object)
+    download_screenshots_of_reddit_posts(reddit_object, number_of_comments, os.getenv("THEME", "light"))
+    download_background()
+    chop_background_video(length)
+    final_video = make_final_video(number_of_comments)
diff --git a/reddit/subreddit.py b/reddit/subreddit.py
index 5d020fe..1d47974 100644
--- a/reddit/subreddit.py
+++ b/reddit/subreddit.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 from utils.console import print_markdown, print_step, print_substep
-import praw
-import random
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
-import os
+import os, random, praw, re
 
 
 def get_subreddit_threads():
@@ -15,7 +13,7 @@ def get_subreddit_threads():
 
     print_step("Getting AskReddit threads...")
 
-    if os.getenv("REDDIT_2FA").lower() == "yes":
+    if os.getenv("REDDIT_2FA", default="no").casefold() == "yes":
         print(
             "\nEnter your two-factor authentication code from your authenticator app.\n"
         )
@@ -37,12 +35,12 @@ def get_subreddit_threads():
     )
 
     if os.getenv("SUBREDDIT"):
-        subreddit = reddit.subreddit(os.getenv("SUBREDDIT"))
+        subreddit = reddit.subreddit(re.sub(r"r\/", "", os.getenv("SUBREDDIT")))
     else:
         # ! Prompt the user to enter a subreddit
         try:
             subreddit = reddit.subreddit(
-                input("What subreddit would you like to pull from? ")
+                re.sub(r"r\/", "", input("What subreddit would you like to pull from? "))
             )
         except ValueError:
             subreddit = reddit.subreddit("askreddit")