Categorizing Title Sequences

In a movie, there are typically for main types title sequences. These are: 

* Titles in front of a blank screen

* Titles on still images

* Titles on moving images

* Titles using animation or motion

We can also categorize these sequences into Narrative or Discrete:

Example of Narrative:

"Man of Steel"

With a narrative, the title sequence appears seamless in conjunction with what is happening in the movie. It's a good way to get straight into the film without putting titles before the action starts.

Example of Discrete:

"Se7ven"

With a discrete, the title sequence appears before any narrative. It's almost like a mini film in itself, which builds up the audiences expectations and energy for the film.

I can't really say which I prefer more, but I do think using animation and moving images makes for more interesting visuals. However, I think all can be successful if they are done right. To me, a title sequence doesn't really have any affect on me, so it would't matter to me how it looked, though I do think some suit one type of movie to the other. For example, an action movie would typically use an image in their background, but it's really up to the director and the designers to choose how they use them.