I'm not sure if you have a question, but the behavior of Titles depends on their "construction".
Title templates created in Motion can utilize a specialized drop zone. It's called a Title Background, but it is basically a "clone" of everything directly underneath the Title. If a Title template consists ONLY of the Title Background, this is what a lot of people refer to as an Adjustment Layer.
There is an option with Titles to turn off or delete the Title Background drop zone which changes the behavior quite a bit. There is no cloning of the items (clips, etc.) underneath the Title.
Cropping a Title with a Title Background will crop what you see in the rest of the storyline (that's underneath the title). Anything above that Title will be unaffected.
Cropping a Title with no Title Background, for example: the Basic Title, will have no effect on the storyline material.
... if that's what you're wondering about.
Titles with Title Backgrounds might have thumbnails with a background scenery image, and those Titles without Backgrounds will have a plain black background... but this is NOT a hard and fast rule and it doesn't take into account Titles with Custom Thumbnails. Any effect you apply to a title, if it also affects the storyline will indicate a Background is being used with the title.
HTH
