A video encoding control method in which a generated bit rate is controlled so that a hypothetical buffer in a decoder does not collapse and an input video signal is encoded, the hypothetical buffer being supplied with an encoded stream of the input video signal at a predetermined bit rate and reading out the encoded stream corresponding to each picture, the method comprising the steps of: sequentially encoding each picture in an encoding-order picture group according to a current encoding parameter including at least one of a quantization parameter and filter strength of a pre-filter for the input video signal, the encoding-order picture group including a predetermined number of pictures and being a collection of pictures successive in an encoding order, the current encoding parameter being set according to a value of a retry count; checking if underflow has occurred in the hypothetical buffer in each time when the encoded stream is pulled out based on bit rate information generated in encoding of each picture; and when the underflow has occurred in the hypothetical buffer, incrementing the retry count so as to change the current encoding parameter into a changed encoding parameter set according to the value of the retry count, and re-encoding the encoding-order picture group that is being encoded from its first picture using the changed encoding parameter, the value of the retry count indicating the number of times of re-encoding, wherein the step size of the quantization parameter, the blurring degree by a filtering process of the pre-filter, or both of the step size of the quantization parameter and the blurring degree by the filtering process of the pre-filter is increased as the value of the retry count increases, the step size of the quantization parameter, the blurring degree by a filtering process of the pre-filter, or both of the step size of the quantization parameter and the blurring degree by the filtering process of the pre-filter is decreased as the value of the retry count is decremented, characterized by further comprising a step of checking a residual bit rate of the hypothetical buffer when the underflow has not occurred in the hypothetical buffer until encoding of a last picture in the encoding-order picture group is completed, not changing the value of the retry count so as not to change the changed encoding parameter when the residual bit rate is smaller than a predetermined residual bit rate threshold value or the retry count is 0, and decrementing the value of the retry count by 1 so as to decrease the step size of the quantization parameter, the blurring degree by a filtering process of the pre-filter, or both of the step size of the quantization parameter and the blurring degree by the filtering process of the pre-filter which are to be used for encoding a next encoding-order picture group next to the encoding-order picture group when the residual bit rate is equal to or greater than the residual bit rate threshold value and the retry count is not 0. sequentially encoding each picture in an encoding-order picture group according to a current encoding parameter including at least one of a quantization parameter and filter strength of a pre-filter for the input video signal, the encoding-order picture group including a predetermined number of pictures and being a collection of pictures successive in an encoding order, the current encoding parameter being set according to a value of a retry count; checking if underflow has occurred in the hypothetical buffer in each time when the encoded stream is pulled out based on bit rate information generated in encoding of each picture; and when the underflow has occurred in the hypothetical buffer, incrementing the retry count so as to change the current encoding parameter into a changed encoding parameter set according to the value of the retry count, and re-encoding the encoding-order picture group that is being encoded from its first picture using the changed encoding parameter, the value of the retry count indicating the number of times of re-encoding, wherein the step size of the quantization parameter, the blurring degree by a filtering process of the pre-filter, or both of the step size of the quantization parameter and the blurring degree by the filtering process of the pre-filter is increased as the value of the retry count increases, the step size of the quantization parameter, the blurring degree by a filtering process of the pre-filter, or both of the step size of the quantization parameter and the blurring degree by the filtering process of the pre-filter is decreased as the value of the retry count is decremented, characterized by further comprising a step of checking a residual bit rate of the hypothetical buffer when the underflow has not occurred in the hypothetical buffer until encoding of a last picture in the encoding-order picture group is completed, not changing the value of the retry count so as not to change the changed encoding parameter when the residual bit rate is smaller than a predetermined residual bit rate threshold value or the retry count is 0, and decrementing the value of the retry count by 1 so as to decrease the step size of the quantization parameter, the blurring degree by a filtering process of the pre-filter, or both of the step size of the quantization parameter and the blurring degree by the filtering process of the pre-filter which are to be used for encoding a next encoding-order picture group next to the encoding-order picture group when the residual bit rate is equal to or greater than the residual bit rate threshold value and the retry count is not 0.