A playback apparatus for playing a video stream recorded on a recording medium (104, 201), the recording medium (104, 201) including a computer program that is to be executed during playback of the video stream, a plurality of images and, for each image, a corresponding rendition time at which the image is to be rendered, the video stream including video data and control information for specifying a location on a time axis relating to playback timing of the video data, the computer program including a predetermined code for designating any of the plurality of images and the rendition time for each image, the playback apparatus comprising: a storage unit (203, 204, 205, 1413); a playback unit (208, 305, 312, 313) operable to successively play the video according to the control information; a program execution unit (206, 1410), including a processor, operable to interpret each of codes that compose the computer program and convert the codes into machine language instructions that are executable by the processor; an image selection unit (311, 1414) operable to select at least one image of the plurality of images to be rendered; and a rendition unit (206, 1415) operable to render the selected at least one image during playback of the video, wherein designated images of the plurality of images and the corresponding rendition time of each designated image are stored in the storage unit (203, 204, 205, 1413) in accordance with the machine language instructions which result from interpretation and conversion of the predetermined code by the program execution unit and which are executable by the processor, the playback unit (208, 305, 312, 313) outputs a specified location on a time axis relating to the playback timing of the video data currently being played, which is specified by the control information, and the image selection unit (311, 1414) is operable to perform processing of receiving the specified location which is outputted from the playback unit (208, 305, 312, 313) and comparing the specified location with the stored corresponding rendition time and selecting at least one image stored in the storage unit (203, 204, 205, 1413) if the at least one image is to be rendered based on a comparison result. a storage unit (203, 204, 205, 1413); a playback unit (208, 305, 312, 313) operable to successively play the video according to the control information; a program execution unit (206, 1410), including a processor, operable to interpret each of codes that compose the computer program and convert the codes into machine language instructions that are executable by the processor; an image selection unit (311, 1414) operable to select at least one image of the plurality of images to be rendered; and a rendition unit (206, 1415) operable to render the selected at least one image during playback of the video, wherein designated images of the plurality of images and the corresponding rendition time of each designated image are stored in the storage unit (203, 204, 205, 1413) in accordance with the machine language instructions which result from interpretation and conversion of the predetermined code by the program execution unit and which are executable by the processor, the playback unit (208, 305, 312, 313) outputs a specified location on a time axis relating to the playback timing of the video data currently being played, which is specified by the control information, and the image selection unit (311, 1414) is operable to perform processing of receiving the specified location which is outputted from the playback unit (208, 305, 312, 313) and comparing the specified location with the stored corresponding rendition time and selecting at least one image stored in the storage unit (203, 204, 205, 1413) if the at least one image is to be rendered based on a comparison result.