Final Cut Pro X uses overlays in the Browser to display the status of ratings, keywords and used media.
The color bars at the top of these NASA clips are called “Marked Ranges.” You can toggle the display of these on, or off, using View > Show/Hide Marked Ranges. The default setting is on.
Here’s what the colors mean:
NOTE: Red bars may not appear at the top of your clips if “Hide Rejected” is selected in the top menu of the Browser. Choosing this option automatically hides, but does not delete, any clips, or portions of a clip, with a rating of “Rejected.”
BUT, WAIT A MINUTE…!
If you are following along with this tutorial with your software, you may, or may not, see the orange bar at the bottom of the clip. This indicates media which is edited into a project in the currently open Library.
To toggle this display on, or off, choose View > Show/Hide Used Media Ranges. The default setting is off.
NOTE: Media which is used in Libraries which are not open do not display this indicator.
EXTRA CREDIT
There are two other Browser display options in the View menu that you might want to try:
One Response to FCP X: Browser Overlays
One note about the Orange used media overlay: if you are using the footage from the same recording, say an interview, in different projects, the Orange used media indicator will change in the browser depending on which project is open and up front. So if you are trying to not duplicate a sound bite over different projects, the used media overlay will not help. I learned this the hard way.