My lower branches/buds seem to be getting lots of shade from the upper big leaves. about 20% of the hairs have turned red, so im guessing 3 more weeks. Should I trim the big leaves and give more light to the lower buds?
"Should I trim the big leaves and give more light to the lower buds?" No. Fan leaves help the plant turn light into energy for growing.
Cutting off too many will turn the plant white and the product worthless. In fact, the more fans on the plant the juicier the nugs.
With 20% red pistils your finishing time depends on your light source. Under my 1000W flowering bulb I would expect that plant to be
finished in a week. Maybe less. I believe any light stronger than 400W will finish her in less than 2 weeks.