Abstract: For use in composing and/or editing a multimedia work that include one or more clips, a technique for indicating an active state of the clip or portion thereof, indicating effects applied to a track or a clip, and indicating a plurality of effects applied to a track or to a clip. At least a portion of the work is graphically represented by one or more timelines on which are disposed one or more clips. An active portion of a clip is indicated by a colored bar that extends under that portion of the clip. Different types of transitions between clips are indicated by using one of different predetermined colors for the colored bar. Effects applied to a track are also represented by color bars that extend above the portion of the track to which the effects apply and are independent of changes to any clip disposed on the track. Predetermined colors are used to indicate the type or class of effect(s) applied. A plurality of effects applied to a clip or to a track are indicated by stacking the colored bars.